Description:
This collection of stories highlights the lives of important but sometimes lesser known personalities in the history of science, including St. Christopher the Dog-Faced. Based on conversations and correspondence with the renowned historian David Pingree, the book is supplemented with extensive quotes and additional information. The text sheds light on the academic culture and tradition of curiosity, the driving force of research, and the congenial atmosphere in academic research that sometimes seems like a thing of the past.
Review Quotes:
The book is a collection of short stories, small anecdotes in the life of some historical characters. More concretely, it focuses on the oddities and singularities of some well-known historical figures, not only in science, but also in arts, politics and social sciences. ... the book shows the fascination for ancient history, the treasures hidden in original sources and the importance of exploring unusual connections.
--Javier Martinez, The European Mathematical Society, January 2013
... a rambling, illuminating and thoroughly enjoyable bio/autobiographical and historical sketch, setting Pingree's immense erudition in its professional and intellectual context. Besides a string of amusing and intriguing anecdotes plentifully sprinkled with photos and sketches, this small volume supplies a valuable reminder of how complex, surprising and just plain strange the history of the exact sciences can be.
--Kim Plofker, MAA Reviews, October 2012