What will you learn from this book
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Copernicus and Heliocentrism: The book likely delves into the life and ideas of Nicolaus Copernicus, focusing on his revolutionary concept of heliocentrism, which proposed that the Earth and other planets revolve around the Sun.
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Publication and Reception: Expect discussions on the publication history of Copernicus's work and its initial reception by the scientific community and the broader public.
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Cultural and Historical Context: The book may provide insights into the cultural and historical context of the time in which Copernicus lived, examining how his ideas were influenced by the Renaissance and challenging prevailing views.
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Challenges to Ptolemaic System: Gingerich likely explores Copernicus's motivations for challenging the Ptolemaic system, which placed the Earth at the center of the universe, and the intellectual climate that prompted such a revolutionary proposal.
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Impact on Scientific Revolution: The book might discuss the broader impact of Copernicus's ideas on the Scientific Revolution and how they contributed to a paradigm shift in the understanding of the cosmos.
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Galileo and Kepler: Expect mentions of other key figures like Galileo Galilei and Johannes Kepler, who further developed and defended Copernican heliocentrism, and the subsequent controversies and debates.
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Manuscript Discoveries: Gingerich may detail his own journey in tracking down copies of Copernicus's manuscript, uncovering rare and overlooked editions, and the significance of these discoveries in understanding the dissemination of scientific ideas.
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Role of Libraries: The book may emphasize the role of libraries and archival research in uncovering hidden or overlooked copies of Copernicus's work, highlighting the importance of preserving scientific heritage.
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Public Perception of Copernicus: Explore how Copernicus and his work were perceived by the public, the Church, and other contemporary authorities, and how these perceptions evolved over time.
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Scientific Method and Inquiry: The book might touch upon broader themes related to the scientific method, the nature of scientific inquiry, and the challenges faced by revolutionary thinkers like Copernicus in promoting new ideas.
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10 | 0434013153 |
| ISBN-13 | 9780434013159 |
| No of pages | 320 |
| Font Size | Medium |
| Book Publisher | Random House |
| Published Date | 12 Aug 2004 |
About Author
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1543 saw the publication of one of the most significant scientific works ever written: De revolutionibus (On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres), in which Nicolaus Copernicus presented a radically different structure of the cosmos by placing the sun, and not the earth, at the centre of the universe. But did anyone take notice? Harvard astrophysicist Owen Gingerich was intrigued by the bold claim made by Arthur Koestler in his bestselling The Sleepwalkers that sixteenth-century Europe paid little attention to the groundbreaking, but dense, masterpiece.
Gingerich embarked on a thirty-year odyssey to examine every extant copy to prove Koestler wrong-Logging thousands of hours and hundreds of thousands of miles Gingerich uncovered a treasure trove of material on the life of a book and the evolution of an idea.
His quest led him to copies once owned by saints, heretics, and scallywags, by musicians and movie stars; some easily accessible, others almost lost to time, politics and the black market. Part biography of a book and a man, part bibliographic and bibliophilic quest, Gingerich's The Book Nobody Read is an utterly captivating piece of writing, a testament to the power both of books and the love of books.