"I, Galileo, son of the late Vincenzio Galilei, Florentine, aged seventy years ...kneeling before you Most Eminent and Reverend Lord Cardinals ...I abjure, curse, detest the aforesaid errors and heresies."
Galileo Galilei in Rome, 22 June 1633, before the men of the Inquisition.
In the small village of Arcetri, on a wooded hillside just south of Florence, an old man sat writing his will. He had to make a journey to Rome and wanted to be prepared for every eventuality. If the plague did not get him on the road, the strain of travelling might finish him off; in addition he had been ill most of the autumn, with dizziness, stomach pains and a serious hernia. And even if he survived these difficulties, and the cold winter wind from the Apennines did not give him pneumonia, he had no idea what awaited him in Rome, only that his arrival was unlikely to be celebrated with a special mass.
The mathematician and physicist Galileo Galilei is one of the most famous scientists of all times. The story of his life and times, of his epoch-making experiments and discoveries, of his stubbornness and pride, of his patrons in the house of Medici, of his enemies and friends in their struggle for truth - all is brought vividly to life in this book. Atle Næss has written a gripping account of one of the great figures in European history.
He was awarded the Brage Prize, the most prestigious literary prize in Norway.
Rezensionen / Stimmen
From the reviews: Most scientific biographies are written by scientists. This one isn't. And my goodness doesn't it show. The prose sings, the story flows effortlessly, and the exposition is refreshingly centred on humanitarian aspects. The character, lifestyle, social context, and motivation of the subject spring into life. The book is an absolute joy, not only for its insight into the accomplishments of one of the world's greatest scientists, but also for its historic review of the scientific turmoil caused by relegating planet Earth from its religious and philosophical position at the centre of the cosmos to its present-day role as a rather insignificant member of the Sun's family of eight planets. The Observatory: a review of astronomy, vol. 126, no. 1190, p. 55 (Feb. 2006) [by David W. Hughes]. [...] Naess weaves an excellent account of the story of Galileo. Addressed to the sophisticated general reader, it is an account that is alive, articulate, and well constructed, and one that provides the important larger context that surrounds the drama itself. This reviewer recommends it highly to anyone interested in a succinct and comprehensive look at the "saga" of Galileo. MAA Online book review columne, Alexander J. Hahn, October 2005 The complete review can be found here: http://www.maa.org/reviews/naessgalileo.html [...] Atle Naess knows how to write a readable book. He wastes no time on padding. He weaves the history, the personalities and the technicalities together expertly, with a sure eye for an interesting detail and an ability to cut through the myths, propaganda and speculation that surround the Galileo case. [...] The aim of the book is a short introduction to introduce the man and whet the appetite for his ideas. It is a resounding success. by James Franklin, Univ of New South Wales, Sydney Gazette, The Australian Mathematical Society, Volume 32, Number 4, 2005, "The mathematician and physicist Galileo Galilei is one of the most famous scientists of all time. The story of his life and times ... is brought vividly to life in this book. Atle Naess has written a gripping account of one of the great figures in European history." (WWW. firstscience.com, September 12, 2005) "Not too many biographies of great scientists are as felicitously written as this new one ... . a delightful read but ... is as historically accurate as one would hope. ... very adequately referenced. ... The translation into english is excellent. This book brought home to me the full extent ... . Anyone with an interest in the life and times of Galileo will adore this new account ... . It is beautifully printed, attractively bound ... . Highly recommended." (Australian Physics, Vol. 42 (2), May/June, 2005) "I found this book fascinating. Much of the argument ... revolves around the famous trial of Galileo for heresy in 1633. ... The background of the build up to the trial with all the necessary detail is handled in a masterly manner ... . There are 13 pages of index and references which will allow the assiduous reader to delve further into the scientific life of seventeenth century Italy - a journey well worth making ... a book worth buying." (M. L. Perkins, The Mathematical Gazette, Vol. 90 (518), 2006) "Galileo Galilei was not only one of the most outstanding 16th century scientists, but he also suffered for the last nine years of his life ... . This biography deals with both these aspects, making full use of recent historical research. Altogether is presents a rounded picture of his life in a highly readable account." (Mathematika, Vol. 52, 2005) "Galileo Galilei was not only one of the most outstanding 16th century scientists, but he also suffered for the last nine years of his life ... . This biography deals with both these aspects, making full use of recent historical research. Altogether it presents a rounded picture of his life in a highly readable account." (Mathematika, Vol. 52, 2005)
The author was born in 1949. He studied language and literature at Oslo University and worked for some years as a teacher at various levels before becoming an independent writer of novels and non-fiction. Among his books is a novel about the Italian painter Caravaggio, translated into English under the title "Doubting Thomas" [in German as "Caravaggio's Flucht"]. His biography of Galileo won the Brage Award for best Norwegian non-fiction book in 2001. Næss' most recent work is a biography of the Norwegian painter Edvard Munch.
