Six Great Scientists: Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, Darwin, Marie Curie, Einstein

This is a great, informative book for those interested in the great minds that have molded science and spawned human technological progress. If you're already a seasoned student of the history of science, you might want more comprehensive accounts of the great individuals' lives. If on the other hand, like myself, you're fairly new to the subject, this is a great book to start with. Each mini biography is concise enough to be read and absorbed quickly. Each is very informative as well. Citations for published, full biographies are found at the end of each chapter if you'd like to read more about one or more of the featured scientists. The struggle between science and religion is a dominant theme through the nineteenth century. Galileo's struggles with the Vatican are covered in a fair amount of detail. Copernicus' political savvy enabled him to dodge conviction and punishment from the clergy during his lifetime; however, his heliocentric theory of the solar system was long discredited by the Catholic Church after his death. Galileo wasn't so fortunate as he endured much persecution during his lifetime and was only recently pardoned by the Church. I learned much about Newton the alchemist, Darwin's struggle with heart disease, Curie's struggles through obtaining an education and Einstein's disdain for the educational process. An underlying theme is the persistence associated with genius, i.e. clinging to an idea or problem for decades - mulling it over countless times. Each of these scientists pursued his or her respective interests with inexorable tenacity. Many interesting tidbits concerning the progression to genius and discovery are revealed. Examples include: Darwin beginning but not finishing medical school, Einstein's dependence on others for the higher math required to sort out his space-time continuum. The common perception of genius, i.e. the day's winner on Jeopardy, is likely flawed. Possession of large amounts of trivial knowledge doesn't seem to be a common trait in pure geniuses that have made immense contributions to human progress. It's very interesting to peak into the lives of these pioneers only to find that some had significant difficulty in mastering some of the basic subjects in school. A quick read full of details about the lives of some of the greatest minds in science!!!