The Lunar Men: Five Friends Whose Curiosity Changed the World
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.42 (849 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0374528888 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 608 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2016-07-30 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
With a small band of allies they formed the Lunar Society of Birmingham (so called because it met at each full moon) and kick-started the Industrial Revolution. Later came Joseph Priestley, discoverer of oxygen and fighting radical. Most came from humble families, all lived far from the center of things, but they were young and their optimism was boundless: together they would change the world. Blending science, art, and commerce, the Lunar Men built canals; launched balloons; named plants, gases, and minerals; changed the face of England and the china in its drawing rooms; and plotted to revolutionize its soul. Among them were the ambitious toymaker Matthew Boulton and his partner James Watt, of steam-engine fame; the potter Josiah Wedgwood; the larger-than-life Erasmus Darwin, physician, poet, inventor, and theorist of evolution (a forerunner of his grandson Charles). In the 1760s a group of amateur experimen
--Gregory McNamee. Joined by other "toymakers" and scholarly tinkerers, they concocted schemes for building great canals and harnessing the power of electricity, coined words such as "hydrogen" and "iridescent," shared theories and bank accounts, fended off embezzlers and industrial spies, and forged a fine "democracy of knowledge." And they had a fine time doing so, proving that scholars need not be dullards or eccentrics asocial. Readers who share their conviction that knowledge brings power will find this book a rewarding adventure. In the late 1700s, five gifted inventors and amateur scholars in Birmingham, England, came together for what one of them, Erasmus Darwin, called "a little philosophical laughing." They also helped kick-start the industrial revolution, as Jenny Uglow relates in the lively The Lunar Men: Five Friends Whose Curiosity Changed the World. Their "Lunar Society" included Joseph Priestley, the chemist who isola
Seeking William Smith I was dismayed when I discovered that William Smith, the veritable inventor of geology is not even mentioned in Ms Uglow's book. So, maybe Smith was not one of the Lunar Men. But she could have at least mentioned his name. He was a contemporary of the Lunar Men and a designer/builder of many canals. His exploits are detailed in the excellent book, "The Map That Changed . Andrew Desmond said Great IdeaThe Construction is Lacking. There is much to enjoy about Jenny Uglow's "The Lunar Men". Here, we have the tale of a group of men, known to each other, who truly helped shape the modern world. The names are a "whose who" of early Industrial Age science and industry: James Watt, Erasmus Darwin (yes, the grandfather to Charles), Josiah Wedgewood and Joseph Priestley amongst others. It would have been. First Rate Book on Intellectual History Excellent book on a fascinating group of men. It is interesting the realize the close connection between these brilliant people, and it is interesting learning about the lesser known members of the circle, who made important contributions in the history of science.