Giants of Science - Galileo Galilei

by Michael White

Galileo Galilei was one of the world's greatest scientific pioneers. His work ranged through mechanics and motion, to sound, speech and light, astronomy, and the system of the universe. Despite his outstanding contributions to science, he was labeled a heretic by the Catholic Church and was imprisioned for life.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Science, History

64 pages, Library Binding

First published August 18, 1999

About the author

Michael White was a British writer who was based in Perth, Australia. He studied at King's College London (1977–1982) and was a chemistry lecturer at d'Overbroeck's College, Oxford (1984–1991).
He was a science editor of British GQ, a columnist for the Sunday Express in London and, 'in a previous incarnation', he was a member of Colour Me Pop. Colour Me Pop featured on the "Europe in the Year Zero" EP in 1982 with Yazoo and Sudeten Creche and he was then a member of the group The Thompson Twins (1982). He moved to Australia in 2002 and was made an Honorary Research Fellow at Curtin University in 2005.
He was the author of thirty-five books: these include Stephen Hawking: A Life in Science; Leonardo: The First Scientist; Tolkien: A Biography; and C. S. Lewis: The Boy Who Chronicled Narnia. His first novel Equinox – thriller, an occult mystery reached the Top Ten in the bestseller list in the UK and has been translated into 35 languages. His non-fiction production included the biography Galileo: Antichrist. Novels following Equinox include The Medici Secret, The Borgia Ring and The Art of Murder.
White wrote under two further names, Tom West and Sam Fisher. He used the latter pseudonym to publish the E-Force trilogy, State of Emergency, Aftershock, and Nano.
A further novel by White, The Venetian Detective, features characters including Galileo and Elizabeth.
White wrote a biography of Isaac Newton, The Last Sorcerer. He was both short-listed and long-listed for the Aventis prize. Rivals was short-listed in 2002, and The Fruits of War long-listed in 2006. He was also nominated for the Ned Kelly Prize for First Novel (for Equinox in 2007).

Reviews

[Review Ngantuk]

Ringkas, padat, dan seru. Michael White bisa menggambarkan keadaan zaman ketika Galileo Galilei hidup dengan baik. Meski ini biografi, yang berarti menempatkan sang tokoh (Galileo Galilei) di pusat cerita, White cermat untuk tidak membuat Galileo Galilei semacam serigala yang mengembara sendiri. Ia punya pertemanan yang mendukung kejeniusannya, dan sedikit cerita soal bapaknya yang mungkin dari sanalah kenyentrikan Galileo Galilei berasal. Cuma sy jadi penasaran, di Eropa waktu itu, apa yang menghubungkan para intelektual/penemu sehingga mereka kadang mengerjakan hal yang sama? Misal teleskop dan semangat melanjutkan kerja Kopernikus atau dalam konteks yang lebih besar: upaya memunggungi Aristoteles.

[Jon Lisle-Summers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine read which introduced me to several other influential figures from the period. A dangerous world, prowled by the Inquisition, would make anyone twitchy. Michael White describes the delicate footwork necessary to survive in such an era. It reminds me of a much later era, Stalin's USSR. Galileo had a number of heretical thoughts, principally, that the sun orbited the earth. But, hidden in Galileo's writings was an even more "evil" thought.
Put not your trust in princes neither temporal nor spiritual. Especially, don't put your trust in a cardinal who rises to become pontiff..... Off you go and don't forget what happened to Giordsno Bruno....

[thewildreaderwithacat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Galileo Galilei

The story of the brilliant Italian scholar who was put under house arrest by the Inquisition because of his views on the universe.

Galileo's story is inspiring and empowering, he was a badass who fought for the position of Science in the world dominated by religious beliefs.

All his life Galileo "

[Yaritza · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is really good. Along with information about Galileo, it also gives small portions of information on other famous scientists that he either agreed with or disagreed with

[José Oroño · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can tell he's romanticizing Galileo at times, but otherwise I'd say this short biography is fantastic. Plus the author bothered to include a Further Reading section in case you're curious and want to read more about the subject, something I wish more books would do.