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Summary: An impressive look at a wonderful relationship
Review: I thouroughly enjoyed this book.The way the author weaves the main story in with the letters is ingenious and it helps connect the reader to the characters.By the end of the book I really felt like I knew Galileo and his daughter.I think it is amazing how much information the author managed to pack into the book and how much I learned about science,the history of Europe,and the Catholic Church.Anyone who is interested in finding out about a real-life realationship between a famous scientist and his tender,intelligent daughter would love this memoir.
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Summary: A Fine Work Better Titled: "Galileo and His Daughter"
Review: Despite this book's title, it is more a biography of Galileo enhanced by actual letters from his daughter than a biography of the daughter herself. Yet, the lives of the two were specially connected. She was every bit a part of his life; he composed the major part of hers. Sister Maria Celeste (the daughter) lived the majority of her life restricted to the grounds of a convent outside of Florence. She only saw Galileo when he came to visit her. Consequently, her letters to her father take the form of a omnipotent narrative. The author capably intersperses these letters to relate periods in Galileo's life. Although his letters to his daughter have unfortunately been lost, this fact, in my opinion, actually increases the intrigue of the book. Galileo lives through his actions and through the words of his most loving observer, his daughter. Beyond this basic framework, the book provides a compelling tale of Galileo's scientific discoveries, his struggles with the Catholic Church, and his personal fortitude. Galileo is presented as the pioneer of a new methodology in scientific discovery - learning through observation, postulation, and experimentation; not mere philosophical meandering. His struggle for acceptance of what is observable, instead of what may be theoretically preferable, is a struggle that continues to this day. At the same time, the author details interesting aspects of the daughters conventary lifestyle, and illustrates the political and social issues of the time. Most importantly, however, final judgment regarding Galileo, his character, and his treatment by the church is left to the reader. This book is well-deserving of all its praise and certainly worth a read.
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Summary: To change the thoughts of the day
Review: Galileo, what can be said. This man did as much or more than anyone else to change the ways (or attempt to) that people think and view the world around them. Even better than Longitude. Enough said.
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Summary: Engaging and enlightening
Review: I took this book on vacation with me and could not put it down. Dava Sobel does a great job of keeping the reader's interest piqued so that you continually want to find out what happens next. As other reviewers have pointed out, this book is about Galileo, not about his daughter. But it is not a straightforward biography of his life, accomplishments, and trials. It takes a sympathetic, humanistic view that more closely resembles a memoir. Galileo's friends, family, supportors, enemies, and detractors play a large role in his life and in his science. It was a joy to see the very human side of this man -- not just a look at his genius. I don't think that this book was mistitled. True, it is not a biography of Sour Maria Celeste. That would have been the title if that had been the author's intent. It is the story of a public figure made more personal through the words of his daughter. The scientific subjects covered are familiar and the discussion of them is not taxing. It made me want to read more about the evolution of thought regarding the cosmos. While you might criticize that the science was not covered in adequate depth, you would be missing the point. The story is not about his discoveries, but about public opinion of them, the challenge they presented to the church, and the consequences to Galileo and his ideas. I learned a lot while reading this book, and enjoyed it enormously in the process.
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Summary: An Excellent Book!
Review: I am not in the habit of writing reviews of books (or anything else for that matter), but in this case I must comment on an exceptionally good book. While it is true that this book is very much about the life of Galileo, his daughter's letters bring to light a personal side of the man that is rarely touched upon. When reading a biography of a great historical figure like Galileo it is all too easy to get wrapped up in the facts of what happened and lose track of the person behind the events. This book let's us see the person. It gives us a feel for the man behind the events and his totally human love for his daughter. There are plenty of biographies that look at Galileo's life through his science, this is one that gives a feeling for the man. I highly recommend this book.
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Summary: Sobel writes excellent popular histories
Review: I believe there is a definite value to popular history. It gives you the opportunity to "test the waters" of a different era. If you want to learn more, you can delve deeper. Sobel, however, is not just good at popular history. She combines it with popular science, and makes the most obscure topics interesting. The one flaw I found in this book, however, was that it was mistitled. Galileo and His Daughter might have been more apt. This is actually a biography of Galileo with some letters from his daughter thrown in for human interest. It works well, but it's not what I expected. I really did not feel that I came away with any great understanding of Suor Maria Celeste. I did, however, learn a lot about Galileo, and it put some myths to rest for me. I would definitely recommend this book.
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Summary: Interesting Biography
Review: I was very pleased with this book, but am not quite sure why it is titled as being a biography of Galileo's daughter. She does not figure into the main themes of the book at all. The inclusion of her letters do add local color and humanize the story, however. And were they more effectively integrated into the text, they could have very well proved more important. As it was I found myself skipping over the letters of the daughter to read the much more interesting biography of a brilliant and strange man.
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Summary: A Truthful, Beautiful Account
Review: Sobel's book is beautiful - the jacket cover is beautiful, the story is beautiful, and the writing is beautiful. In fact, the writing is so beautiful that you scarcely realize that you are reading at all. Sobel's skills produce a window, which the observer looks through to get a view of life in the 17th century. It is, of course, about Galileo, but no less about his devout daughter and their devotion to each other. As a Catholic, I appreciate the respect given the Church and the many Catholics, clergy and others, who defended and supported Galileo in his struggle with his former friend, the vainglorious Pope Urban VIII. Sadly, what other critics seems to miss is that it was not "the Church" in her position of teacher of faith that condemned Galileo. It was a group of powerful, small-minded, and envious Church officials who pursued him, as Sobel explains in great detail. It should also be noted that it was many academicians, fellow "philosopers", mathematicians, astronomers, and the like who made Galileo's life miserable with their envious attacks and stubborn refusal to objectively evaluate new information that would force them to change their teaching. As to the comparison with modern teaching on evolution, it doesn't exist. The Church's official position on evolution is that it is a proper field of study - no more and no less. Additionally, evolution as Darwin has proposed it has been soundly challenged by religious, atheistic, and agnostic scientists alike, particularly in the fields of biochemistry and genetics. Challengers are treated like wild-eyed fundamentalists, whether atheist, religious or otherwise. It is as if any evidence which fails to support Darwin must point to the existence of a Creator-God, which it does not necessarily do. (This happened also when the big-bang theory was verified, and many scientists were reluctant to publish the verification of it because of its theological implications.) Galileo's critics in the academy are more like modern scientists who cling tenaciously to Victorian science than they are to members of the Church, many who are prominent scientists themselves. For those who think John Paul II should apologize for past Catholic crimes, he already has. Now how about an apology from a prominent atheist for past ridicule of the Church for saying that the universe had a beginning and was not "infinite", or for the fiasco of the "Piltdown Man", which made virtually every contemporary Darwinist look like gullible morons?
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Summary: Wonderful accomplishment
Review: Galileo's Daughter is simultaneously a work of science, history and love. Sobel's research was incredibly in-depth, allowing her to expertly explain Galileo's theories (as well as those of his contemporaries), Italian culture and the Catholic Church at the time, and the relationship between Galileo and his daughter, which is at the heart of this story. You will finish this book with an understanding of physics, who Galileo was as a man, and so much about the time in which he lived. It is a rare find, as it blends the subjects so seamlessly.
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Summary: Entracing historical insights with perspective
Review: Having some scientific background my first read of this marvelous adventure by Sobel into the personal life of Galileo and Maria Celeste demands at least one re-read and then group discussion and perhaps a third re-read to fully partake of the wonderful minutae and peek into the late 1500 and 1600 eras of Popes, Cardinals, philosophers, scientists, rats and plague, gout and rheumatism, and friends and viscious jealous peers and the revelation of a magical love between a daughter and proud father. I have (both) tapes and books and these are being shared by my collegues. A "must read".
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