Looking for a good science history book.

Cafe Society
1

Can anyone recommend a good history of modern science book?

More accurately, I’m looking for a book covering the lives and time of scientists like Copernicus, Galileo, Da Vinci, etc… You know, the forefathers of modern science.

For ecomomies of time and money, I’d like a single book or two that covers them well rather than a single exhaustive book on each one. However, if a single tome on each is what’s best, I’ll consider that as well.

Thanks.

2

Coming of Age in the Milky Way, by Timothy Ferris. One of my favorite books in any subject. A fascinating history of how humanity’s vision of itself in the universe has changed over time. There’s lots on the famous astronomers of the past, like Galileo, Copernicus, Kepler, etc.

3

Thank you.

I also found The whole shebang by the same author. Looks interesting as well. :slight_smile:

4

I’m not sure if this is what you had in mind, but A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson is a fantastic read, and a very informative book.

5

Something like The Science Class You Wish You Had: The Seven Greatest Scientific Discoveries in History and the People Who Made Them might be what you have in mind.

6

It is as well. I’m a fan of Ferris, I’ve read most of his stuff. The only one I don’t heartily recommend is The Red Limit, mostly because it’s a little outdated now. (The discussions of “current” astronomy in Coming of Age… are also outdated, but they take up only a small portion of the book.)

7

A bit ambitious and wide in scope. I’m really looking for an interesting history the key players of the dark ages into the age of enlightenment. I think. :slight_smile:

But thank you.