The planets is dava sobel s sweeping look at our heavenly galaxy. Most of the planet s moons were not known during davas childhood, but they are known today and appear on the rooms wallpaper. She explains in detail the physical making of each of our planets and sun, while integrating mythology and her own creative illustrations to help the reader better understand the complex making of the. In a new book the glass universe, author dava sobel explores the invaluable contribution of harvard college observatorys women computers. Extrasolar planet discoveries were to come much later as well. Following the success of her bestselling book longitude, dava sobel, a former new york times science reporter, has. Unlike parallels of latitude, which are fixed by nature, longitude is. Most of the planets moons were not known during davas childhood, but they are known today and appear on the rooms wallpaper.
In the spirit of longitude and galileos daughter, sobel once again brings science and history deftly to life as she explores the origins of the planets and reveals the exotic environments that exist in each of these fascinating alien worlds. Sobels purpose in this lovely and personal volume is to show us the planets as she sees them. That it has done so speaks well for the reading public in this country. The glass universe is sensitive, exacting, and lit with the wonder of discovery. Dava made a shoebox model of the solar system when she was a child. Sobels previous books galileos daughter, 1999, etc. Writing this book allowed me to link todays scientific exploration of the solar system with popular cultureeverything from astrology and mythology to science fiction, music, and poetry. With her bestsellers longitude and galileos daughter, dava sobel introduced readers to her rare gift for weaving complex scientific concepts into a compelling narrative. Books by dava sobel featured in the 1870s, before women had the right to vote or a firm standing in the workplace, a lucky few found employment at the harvard college observatory. The narratives she spins for each planet, while sometimes a bit silly, are always compelling. The kindle edition of this book, however, is poorly converted. The women youve never heard of who transformed astrophysics. This groundbreaking new work traces the lives of each member of our solar family, from myth and history, astrology and science fiction, to the latest data from the modern eras. The planets by dava sobel overdrive rakuten overdrive.
Nov 10, 2015 the planets by dava sobel in chm, djvu, rtf download ebook. How the ladies of the harvard observatory took the measure of the stars. Sobel s purpose in this lovely and personal volume is to show us the planets as she sees them. History, astrology, and myth all play into her unique treatment of each planet. The glass universe shines and twinkles as brightly as the stars themselves the economist. From visionary author dava sobel comes the planets, a book that reveals the beauty of our solar system in ways that astronomers and laymen alike can enjoy. Oct 04, 2005 the planets is dava sobel s sweeping look at our heavenly galaxy. Dava sobels the glass universe will be available from viking in december 2016 with her bestsellers longitude and galileos daughter, dava sobel introduced readers to her rare gift for weaving complex scientific concepts into a compelling narrative. With her gift for weaving difficult scientific concepts into a compelling story, sobel explores the planets origins and oddities through the lens of popular culture, from astrology, mythology, and science fiction to art, music, poetry, biography, and history. An awardwinning former science writer for the new york times, sobels work has also appeared in audubon, discover, and the new yorker.
Dava sobel is a former new york times science reporter and a repeated new york times bestselling author. Sep 17, 2005 the planets by dava sobel fourth estate. As dava sobel describes so well, in the 18th century, loss of orientation was both common and potentially fatal. Ive read sobels galileos daughter, which i really enjoyed with the mixture of history, science and story, so i had high hopes for the planets. In the 1870s, before women had the right to vote or a firm standing in the workplace, a lucky few found employment at the harvard college observatory. Jul 03, 2006 planets is a whistlestop tour of the planets of the solar system. Dava sobel wrote the planets to further increase the public knowledge and understanding of our solar system and what it consists of. Dava sobel has 26 books on goodreads with 231056 ratings. Dava sobel, a former new york times science reporter, is the author of longitude walker 1995 and 2005, penguin 1996, galileos daughter walker 1999 and 2011, penguin 2000, the planets viking 2005, penguin 2006, a more perfect heaven walker bloomsbury 2011 and 2012, and the sun stood still bloomsbury, 2016 and the glass universe viking, 2016. Former new york times reporter sobel coauthor, arthritis. The book celebrates earth and her nearest neighbors at this unique moment in history, when the old familiar sola. Her books include longitude, about english clockmaker john harrison, and galileos daughter, about galileo s daughter maria celeste, and the glass universe. But rather than sigh over this lacuna, as most historians do, dava sobel came up with an odd but artful solution.
The subtitle here tells the reader exactly what the book is about. Dava sobel s longitude achieved bestselling status on the new york times nonfiction list in both hardcover and paperback. Even before the publication of longitude twentyfive years ago, i learned about a group of women who worked at the harvard college observatory in the nineteenth century, analyzing images of the stars to fantastic effect these ladies of pickerings harem aroused my curiosity, but i put them off while pursuing galileos daughter, exploring the planets, and turning copernicuss idea. Her past books include longitude, galileos daughter, and. Longitude does not seem to be a topic that would set the readers interest and imagination racing, but dava sobel manages to make what is a seemingly boring topic into a tale that is gripping, exciting and educational. Now sobel brings her full talents to bear on what is perhaps her most ambitious topic to datethe planets of our solar system. This groundbreaking work traces the lives of each member of our solar family, from myth and history, astrology and science fiction, to the latest data from the modern eras robotic space probes. Oct 02, 20 october 2, 20 dava sobel view fullsize writing this book allowed me to link todays scientific exploration of the solar system with popular cultureeverything from astrology and mythology to science fiction, music, and poetry. Sep 02, 2005 the planets by dava sobel 270pp, fourth estate. After the huge national and international success of longitude. Dava sobels longitude achieved bestselling status on the new york times nonfiction list in both hardcover and paperback. Dava sobel has written a gem of a bookone of the best reads for the nonscientific writing to come along for many a moon. The suns family of planets become a familiar place in this personal account of the lives of other worlds. Her 1997 bestseller, longitude, the tale of john harrisons struggles to crack the secret of navigation.
Sobel explores the origins and oddities of the planets through the lens of popular culture, from astrology, mythology, and science fiction to art, music, poetry, biography, and history. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by us and international laws. Signed to title page by the author with a thumbnail planet sketch. Dava sobel is the acclaimed author of the internationally bestselling titles longitude, galileos daughter, the illustrated longitude, and the planets. Ive read sobel s galileos daughter, which i really enjoyed with the mixture of history, science and story, so i had high hopes for the planets. Now sobel brings her full talents to bear on what i. A more perfect heaven how copernicus revolutionized the.
The glass universe, by dava sobel dava sobels new book is a history of the unheralded women called computers, rather than astronomers who worked at the harvard college. The book tells the story of each member of our solar family, from myth and history, astrology and science fiction, to the latest data from the modern eras space probes. The science writer says that while researching her new book, the glass universe, she read fiction about the time period, such as the custom of the country and o pioneers. Dava sobel born june 15, 1947 is an american writer of popular expositions of scientific topics. Writing in quite a different mode than in her bestselling longitude. In the planets, dava sobel takes the reader on a tour of planetary astronomy and the 9 objects currently classified as major planets plus the sun and the moon with 12 very different chapters and no feeling of having read a few chapters in an astronomy textbook. Part biography, part history, part scientific exploration, longitude relates the quest for an accurate way to determine longitude. She wrote a twoact play to dramatize the encounter, and sandwiched it. Now sobel brings her full talents to bear on what is perhaps her most ambitious topic to date the planets of our solar system. After the huge national and international success of longitude and gallileos daughter, dava sobel tells the human story of the nine planets of our solar system. Her past books include longitude, galileos daughter, and the planets. Dava sobel s the glass universe will be available from viking in december 2016with her bestsellers longitude and galileos daughter, dava sobel introduced readers to her rare gift for weaving complex scientific concepts into a compelling narrative. Dava sobel has a rare gift for weaving scientific concepts into a compelling story and her internationally bestselling books, including longitude and galileos daughter, attract readers from across the literary spectrum.
Planets is a whistlestop tour of the planets of the solar system. In the spirit of longitude and galileos daughter, sobel once again brings science and history deftly to life as she explores the origins of the planets and reveals the exotic environments that exist in. Written in her characteristically graceful prose, the planets is a stunningly original celebration of our solar system and offers a distinctive view of. She explains in detail the physical making of each of our planets and sun, while integrating mythology and her own creative illustrations to help the reader better understand the complex making of the planets of our solar system. An analysis of dava sobels writing style in the book. In this recreation the past, present, and future coexist. Following the success of her bestselling book longitude, dava sobel, a former new york times science reporter, has turned her attention to. Financial times a true life thriller, jampacked with political intrigue, international warfare, personal feuds and financial skullduggery. The true story of a lone genius who solved the gre. Jan 12, 2017 the glass universe shines and twinkles as brightly as the stars themselves the economist. Dava sobel born june 15, 1947 is the author of longitude, galileos daughter, the planets, and most recently a more perfect heaven. This is another book i bought because of its beautiful cover, especially in the hardcover edition, and one which, after reading, i thought had failed in its job. Daily mail rarely have i enjoyed a book as much as dava sobels longitude. The planets is dava sobels sweeping look at our heavenly galaxy.
After the huge national and international success of longitude and. The planets by dava sobel in chm, djvu, rtf download ebook. The greek astronomers could measure latitude as early as the third century b. Sobel explores the origins and oddities of the planets through the lens of popular culture, from. The structure of sobels book extends from the sun to the outer planets, with individual chapters devoted to the terrestrial planets of mercury, venus, earth, and mars. Nov 11, 2005 dava sobel has written a gem of a bookone of the best reads for the nonscientific writing to come along for many a moon. Written in her characteristically graceful prose, the planets is a stunningly original celebration of our solar system and offers a distinctive view of our. Quotations are badly formatted and the illustrations are completely missing. Her books include longitude, about english clockmaker john harrison, and galileos daughter, about galileos daughter maria celeste, and the glass universe. When, in october 1707, the british admiral sir clowdisley shovell misjudged longitude, the majority of his fleet sank off the coast of the scilly isles with substantial loss of life. Mar 20, 2017 dava sobel is a former new york times science reporter and a repeated new york times bestselling author. Dava sobel s the glass universe will be available from viking in december 2016 with her bestsellers longitude and galileos daughter, dava sobel introduced readers to her rare gift for weaving complex scientific concepts into a compelling narrative. A former staff science reporter for the new york times, she has also written for numerous magazines, including discover, harvard magazine, smithsonian, and the new yorker.