In 1633, at the end of one of the most famous trials in history, the inquisition condemned galileo for contending that the earth moves and that the bible is not a scientific authority. A historical memoir of science, faith, and love is a 1999 nonfiction book by dava sobel. These are the first complete translations of the letters into english and for those who. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of galileos daughter by dava sobel. Just as sobel made john harrisons search to determine longitude a compelling story. This book, entitled galileos daughter is a dual biography, both of galileo and of his eldest daughter, a cloistered nun of the poor clares. Sobel, a wellknown science writer, based the book on maria celestes 124 surviving letters. At the convent of san matteo, she shared her grief with her natural sister, suor arcangela originally the namesake of galileos other sister, livia, and also with.
But an equally intriguing drama existed in the discovery of that swing. Suor maria celeste was joined at the convent by her younger sister, livia, who took the name sister arcangela. Although his letters were destroyed, hers carried his story and revealed the great love and respect between the two. The book is about the heretical scientist galileo galilei, based on. I wrote then that it might become my new favorite book regarding this amazing scientist, and it most certainly has. The book is not only an excellent look at galileo, his accomplishments, and his struggles, but it also is incredibly unique. Galileos daughter book of the week madras heritage. The son of a musician, galileo galilei 15641642 tried at first to enter a monastery before engaging the skills that made him the foremost scientist of his day. It is not fiction and it tells about galileos life from the letters written to him by his daughter, with the history being filled in by the author. Galileos condemnation set off a controversy that has acquired a fascinating life of its own and that continues to this day. This is the one book i recommend to everyone, men and women, especially if you like historical biography.
Galileos daughter a historical memoir of science, faith, and love ebook. It is also in part a fascinating chronicle of a 17th century clash between science and catholic doctrine. Dava sobel explores the life and times of galileo galilei in her partly epistolary, partly historic book galileos daughter. This article is part of an occasional series i do on sunday, relating to books i have read and delighted in. She also supplied the class with her translations of all 124 letters from maria celeste to galileo. Galileo, however, soon turned to a career in mathematics. I recently mentioned the book galileos daughter in a previous post. A historical memoir of science, faith, and love is a book by dava sobel. Inspired by a long fascination with galileo, and by the remarkable surviving letters of galileos daughter, a cloistered nun, dava sobel has written a biography unlike any other of the man albert einstein called the father of modern physics indeed of modern science altogether. Find all available study guides and summaries for galileos daughter by dava sobel. This marvelous duo biography of galileo galilei and his daughter virginia evokes a sense of time and place, character and action and of cosmic importance that are usually the province of great works of fiction. Her letters to her father, lovingly preserved by him, the margins sometimes marked with galileos notes, calculations, and diagrams, bear witness to the powerful emotional and intellectual bond between father and daughter. Galileo galilei 15641642 was the foremost scientist of his day, the father of modern.
Galileo s daughter is the story of both galileo and his wise and intelligent older daughter, maria celeste. Straight from the horses mouth, as the saying goes. Galileos daughter is the story of both galileo and his wise and intelligent older daughter, maria celeste. Galileo s daughter, a story of love, faith, and science an amazing read. Galileos daughter, born of his long illicit liaison with the beautiful marina gamba of venice, entered the world in the summer heat of a new century, on august, 1600the same year the dominican friar giordano bruno was burned at the stake in rome for insisting, among his many heresies and blasphemies, that the earth traveled around the sun. Though he never left italy, his inventions and discoveries were heralded around the world. Galileos daughter book contra costa county library. It details the relationship between renaissance scientist galileo and his daughter suor maria celeste, a nun.
Sobels book is concerned with the whole of galileos life, but especially with the relationship between the scientist and his daughter, virginia. Inspired by a long fascination with galileo, and by the remarkable surviving letters of his daughter maria celeste, a cloistered nun, dava sobel has crafted a biography that dramatically recolors the personality and accomplishments of a mythic figure whose earlyseventeenthcentury clash with catholic doctrine continues to define the schism between. The authors phenominal research revealed the brilliance of galileo s mind and the depth of his faith to pursue truth even though he was labeled a. Galileos daughter, a story of love, faith, and science an amazing read. Dava sobel has had a lifelong fascination with galileo and her latest book,galileos daughter. A historical memoir of science, faith and love by dava sobel about the book dava sobel has had a lifelong fascination with galileo and her latest book,galileos daughter. A drama of science, faith and love makes accessible to the reader key facts about the life of galileo.
Yes, galileo had a daughter, in fact two daughters and a son, the illegitimate offspring of a liaison with a venetian beauty. The listed critical essays and books will be invaluable for writing essays and papers on galileo galilei. The book, on a father and daughter, is dedicated to galileo and her own father samuel hillel sobel, by dava. Galileos daughter by dava sobel begins with a letter written on may 10, 1623 from suor maria celeste to her father, galileo. A historical memoir of science, faith, and love, brings the famous scientist vividly to life while offering a unique perspective on his trial for. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of galileo s daughter by dava sobel. It is based on the surviving letters of galileo galilei s daughter, the nun suor maria celeste, and explores the relationship between galileo and his daughter. This book, entitled galileo s daughter is a dual biography, both of galileo and of his eldest daughter, a cloistered nun of the poor clares. The motions of the heavenly bodies, they said, having been touched upon in the psalms, the book of joshua, and elsewhere in the bible, were matters best left to the holy fathers of the church.
Despite the title, the book is mostly galileos story, interspersed with excerpts from his daughters letters. A historical memoir of science, faith and love by dava sobel 25,883 ratings, 3. One hundred and twenty letters from maria to her famous father survive, and these are. There is an immense drama in the stars, in the way the planets swing around one another. Of galileos three children, only his daughter virginia mirrored his own brilliance, industry, and sensibility. Sobel, author of the bestselling longitude 1995, has elegantly translated the letters galileos eldest child, virginia, wrote to him and uses them as a leitmotif to illuminate their deep mutual love, religious faith, and dedication to science. A reasonable work and interesting for trying to convey the life and times of galileos daughter as well as the life of the great man himself. Galileos daughter summary and analysis like sparknotes free. The story shines the intimacy of this mans relationship with his upuntilnow unknown daughter and at the same time exposes the relevance. Gg wrote to castelli a letter in 16 trying to lay out his views, claiming to see no conflict with religion, discussing the ptolemaic vs.
This book is a translation of some of galileos writings and provides great insight into his thoughts and ideas. View notes doire4 from rels 101 at college of charleston. Biography of the man einstein called the father of modern physics, and the church long branded a heretic, as revealed through the newly translated letters of his confidante daughter. This absorbing book is the first to examine the entire span.
The authors phenominal research revealed the brilliance of galileos mind and the depth of his faith to pursue truth even though he was labeled a. This is the story of galileos life in the context of his eldest daughters beautiful prose. Galileo galilei was born in pisa italy in the same year as shakespeare, 1564, of father vincenzio galilei and giulia ammannati galilei. Galileos daughter, born of his long illicit liaison with the beautifulmarina gamba of venice, entered the world in the summerheat of a new century, on august, 1600the same year thedominican. In the spring of 1999, dava sobel graciously let my students in history 333 galileo in context, read an early version of her book, galileos daughter. Galileos daughter a historical memoir of science, faith, and love book. A suggested list of literary criticism on s galileo galilei. This is the story of galileo s life in the context of his eldest daughter s beautiful prose. This is one of those rare books that entertains and informs. A historical memoir of science, faith, and love dava soba, 1999 viking press 432 pp. Synopsis from the international bestselling author of longitude, galileos daughter is the fascinating story of the relationship between the great italian scientist galileo and his daughter, virginia.
Galileo galilei was born in pisa, italy, on february 18, 1564, to a family of aristocratic lineage but average wealth. A historical memoir of science, faith, and love, brings the famous scientist vividly to life while offering a unique perspective on his trial for heresy and subsequent years under house arrest. In galileos daughter, sobel strikes a balance between the worldly exploits of galileo and the unsophisticated, quiet life of his cloistered daughter by juxtaposing galileos feats with letters from suor maria celeste. A historical memoir of science, faith, and love summary by michael mcgoodwin, prepared 2000. Beyond that, he made numerous contributions to the study of physics and mathematics. The book is based on the correspondence between galileo and his oldest daughter. This grand book the universe the recently deceased relative suor maria celeste mourned in her first extant letter was virginia galilei landucci, the aunt shed been named after. Discoveries and opinions of galileo, by galileo galilei. When he was seventeen, his father, a noted musician who also earned money in the wool trade, sent him to study medicine at the university of pisa. If there is a sparknotes, shmoop, or cliff notes guide, we will have it listed.