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Title: The Northern Lights: The True Story of the Man Who Unlocked the Secrets of the Aurora Borealis by Michael Cumpsty, Lucy Jago ISBN: 0-375-42027-4 Publisher: Bantam Books-Audio Pub. Date: 25 September, 2001 Format: Audio Cassette Volumes: 4 List Price(USD): $25.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.22 (9 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Biography/travelogue/history of science
Comment: This book is a very intriguing biography of one of the great minds of the early twentieth century. It tells the story of Norwegian scientist Kristian Birkeland and his obsession with the aurora borealis. The book starts off with his first expedition in Lappland, observing the Northern Lights from a mountaintop observatory over a winter season. Jago then takes us through the results of the expedition, and Birkeland's dreams for further research, and his inventive projects for funding his research. She follows Birkland through the rest of his life, including his role in starting Norskhydro, his trip to Egypt, and his death in Japan. What struck me about Birkeland's genius was how he turned design failures or accidents into new discoveries and further inventions- -how a high-voltage switch became a magnetic cannon, and how a magnetic cannon was transformed into a fertilizer furnace. Jago's descriptions of Birkeland's expeditions carry the details that are usually only found in travel narratives.
The narration by Michael Cumpsty is quite clear throughout, and I was especially impressed by his ease with pronouncing the Danish, Egyptian, and Japanese names. One of the challenges of listening to a book of this type is following the scientific explanations orally. Although I got a basic idea of Birkeland's theories, I think reading them on paper instead of listening to them on tape would have been a little easier. I also missed the footnotes and biography that must have surely been available in the print version. Nevertheless, the tape was quite enjoyable and very informative.
Rating: 5
Summary: Thank you for writing this book!
Comment: Dear Lucy Jago,
I really enjoyed this book! I read the complete title so I knew it was about the MAN who unlocked the secrets of the Aurora Borealis... not about the "powerful and mystical Northern Lights". What an amazing man he must have been. Thanks for showing us his human side, strengths and weaknesses. I'm still left wondering what else he might have been able to accomplish if he had lived longer (and had a more healthy life style!)
I thought this book had a good balance between the technical aspects and storytelling. I didn't want a physics book about Aurora, if I did, then I would have gotten one. I wanted a history of science book, I wanted to know the "story", I wanted to meet the people, I wanted to know the community reaction at the time. I got all that and more.
Thanks for your fine work, I had an enjoyable few hours reading it.
Rating: 1
Summary: Sappy, sensationalistic science
Comment: For a topic as lovely (powerful and mystical) as this - the Northern Lights - its really sad how quickly the author reverts to sappy science drama writing. I was really disappointed by this book and am baffled by the other glowing reviews. All I can think is that this format - the Ken Burns approach to narrative drama in an actual historical event - has become so ubiquitous that people expect it in their science writing too.
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Title: Northern Lights: The Science, Myth, and Wonder of Aurora Borealis by Calvin Hall, Daryl Pederson, George Bryson ISBN: 1570612900 Publisher: Sasquatch Books Pub. Date: 10 November, 2001 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: A Short History of Nearly Everything by BILL BRYSON ISBN: 0767908171 Publisher: Broadway Pub. Date: 06 May, 2003 List Price(USD): $27.50 |
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Title: Angels & Demons by Dan Brown ISBN: 0671027360 Publisher: Pocket Star Pub. Date: 26 June, 2001 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown ISBN: 0385504209 Publisher: Doubleday Pub. Date: 18 March, 2003 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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