Joseph Leidy: The Last Man Who Knew Everything
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.14 (588 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0300073593 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 320 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2015-01-31 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
That his work was almost completely descriptive, not experimental, makes him seem outdated, yet his generous life, narrated against a panoramic backdrop of the transformation of American science from elitist club to rigorous discipline, illumines how science progresses and reputations are made or lost. From Publishers Weekly Considered one of America's great biologists in his day but now barely remembered outside specialist circles, Philadelphia scientist Joseph Leidy (1823-1891) deserves a better fate; hopefully, Warren's absorbing biography will rekindle interest in this remarkable polymath. Warren is Institute Professor
A man who seemed to know everything, Leidy was-among many other things-the foremost human anatomist of his time, the first truly productive microscopist, the father of American protozoology and parasitology, and the founder of American invertebrate paleontology.. This is the first published biography of the remarkable Joseph Leidy (1823-91), a scientist of astonishing achievement and breadth of interests
A marginal biography of a great man A Customer Most readers of this book who are familiar with Joseph Leidy and his work will be disappointed. The biography offers an ear full about the scientific climate during the late 1800's of America, but relatively little about, Joseph Leidy, himself. Throughout the book the author laments the fact that Leidy was not an experimental biologist or theorist, and overlooks Leidy's talents as a descriptive biologist, geologist, and (what he is most known for) paleontologist. This book, even, lacks a bibliography of Joseph Leidy's writings. I would suggest anyone to read Josep. An absorbing account of the life of a Victorian scientist. This book is required reading for anyone interested in natural history or the academic and scientific climate of 19th century Philadelphia. Leidy, a man of immense distinction in his time, was virtually forgotten in this century. Warren has given us an absorbing account of the life and times of this eminent Victorian, and in doing so has restored him to the stature he deserves as "The Last Man Who Knew Everything.". "A carefully researched and well-written account of a forgotten genius" according to P. S. Neeley. An outstanding account. Another reviewer has complained that there is relatively little here about Leidy himself, but the book is filled with accounts and stories of Leidy, his fears, his struggles, his hopes, and his triumphs -- there is much here about Leidy 'the man'. True, there is also much here about science in America during Leidy's life, which I found fascinating. This is a carefully researched book, with copious notes and references, and dense with facts and supporting historical perspectives. It is not a leisurely read, but a very rewarding one. Thank yo