The we of suer maria celestes letter speaks for herself andher sister, liviagalileos strange, silent second daughter, whoalso took the veil and vows at san matteo to become suor arcangela. Moving between galileos grand public life and maria celestes sequestered world, sobel illuminates the florence of the medicis and the. It is based on the surviving letters of galileo galileis daughter, the nun suor maria celeste. Galileo galilei 15641642 was the foremost scientist of his day, the father of modern. Sobel bases her book on 124 surviving letters to the scientist from the nun, whom galileo described as a woman of exquisite mind, singular. Moving between galileo s public life and maria celeste s sequestered world, sobel illuminates the florence of the medicis and the papal. Born virginia galilei in 1600, she is the eldest of galileos three illegitimate children and lived within the cloistered walls of san matteo from 16 until her death in 1634. Galileo s daughter dramatically recolors the personality and accomplishment of a mythic figure whose seventeenthcentury clash with catholic doctrine continues to define the schism between science and religion. In the spring of 1999, dava sobel graciously let my students in history 333 galileo in context, read an early version of her book, galileos daughter. In galileos daughter, ms sobel interweaves the stories of father and daughter.
Despite the title and the premise that it is based off of suor maria celeste s letters this book isnt really about galileo s daughter and the letters are sparser than i expected. Typically maria celestes life and letters to her father are used to contextualize galileos life or support an. Galileos daughter a historical memoir of science, faith, and love ebook. A former staff science reporter for the new york times, she has also written for numerous magazines, including discover, harvard magazine, smithsonian, and the new yorker. Moving between galileos grand public life and maria celestes sequestered world, sobel illuminates the florence of the medicis and. Virginia was the eldest of three siblings, with a sister livia and a brother vincenzio. Suor maria celestes letters provide another and different insight into galileos life as well as raising quite a few questions about. Maria celeste virginia galilei 16001634 galileos daughter. She was the daughter of the scientist galileo galilei and marina gamba. Galileos oldest child was thirteen when he placed her in a convent near him in florence, where she took the most appropriate name of suor maria celeste. A drama of science, faith and love new ed by sobel, dava isbn. Though he never left italy, his inventions and discoveries were heralded around the world. Inspired by a long fascination with galileo, and by the remarkable surviving letters of his daughter maria celeste, a cloistered nun, dava sobel has crafted a biography that dramatically recolors the personality and accomplishments of a mythic figure whose earlyseventeenthcentury clash.
In the spring of 1999, dava sobel graciously let my students in history 333 galileo in context, read an early version of. A historical memoir of science, faith, and love is a book by dava sobel. Meanwhile their brother, vincenzio, the youngest child of galileo and marinas union, had been legitimized in a fiat by the grand duke of tuscany and. A historical memoir of science, faith, and love is a 1999 nonfiction book by dava sobel. In galileos daughter, dava sobel author of the bestselling longitude tells the story of the famous scientist and his illegitimate daughter, sister maria celeste. It details the relationship between renaissance scientist galileo and his daughter suor maria celeste, a nun. So, given the title youd think this would be about galileos daughter, sister maria celeste, who he called a woman of exquisite mind, singular goodness, and. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read galileos daughter. Galileos daughter is a rich and unforgettable story.
She also supplied the class with her translations of all 124 letters from maria celeste to galileo. Sister maria celeste 16 august 1600 2 april 1634, born virginia galilei, was a nun. Galileos daughter is the story of both galileo and his wise and intelligent older daughter, maria celeste. Galileos daughter ebook by dava sobel rakuten kobo. I cried when maria celeste died and have so much more empathy for galileo and his struggle to be true to truth and his faith. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of galileos daughter by dava sobel. Moving between galileos grand public life and maria celestes sequestered world, sobel illuminates the florence of the medicis and the papal court in rome during the pivotal era when humanitys perception of its place in the cosmos was about to be overturned. The day after his sister virginias funeral, the already world renowned scientist galileo galilei. A historical memoir of science, faith and love in pdf format. The we of suor maria celestes letter speaks for herself and her sister, liviagalileos strange, silent second daughter, who also took the veil and vows at san matteo to become suor arcangela. Galileos daughter does much more than chronicle these familiar events.
I have looked carefully at the italian originals of all the letters translated in full in galileos daughter. From my first encounter with suor maria celeste virginia galilei, reading the letter in which she implored her father for help fixing the convent clock, i was enthralled by her prose style, her humor, and her moxie. A historical memoir of science, faith and love ebook written by dava sobel. Inspired by a long fascination with galileo, and by the remarkable surviving letters of his daughter maria celeste, a cloistered nun, dava sobel has crafted a.
Galileos daughter dramatically recolors the personality and accomplishment of a mythic figure whose seventeenthcentury clash with catholic doctrine continues to define the schism between science and religion. It is also in part a fascinating chronicle of a 17th century clash between science and catholic doctrine. Moving between galileos grand public life and maria celestes sequestered world, sobel illuminates the florence of the medicis and the papal court in rome during the pivotal era when. Despite the title and the premise that it is based off of suor maria celestes letters this book isnt really about galileos daughter and the letters are sparser than i. A historical memoir of science, faith, and love inspired by her long fascination with galileo, and by the remarkable surviving letters of his daughter, which she has translated into english for the first time, dava sobel has written a book of great originality and power, a biography unlike any ever written on the man albert einstein called the father of modern physics indeed of modern. Dava sobel the son of a musician, galileo galilei 15641642 tried at first to enter a monastery before engaging the skills that made him the foremost scientist of his day. The daughter of the books title was the elder one who chose the name suor sister maria celeste when she took her vows. Dava sobel born june 15, 1947 is the author of longitude, galileos daughter, the planets, and most recently a more perfect heaven. Unfortunately, none of the physicists corresponding letters to his daughter have survived. Galileos daughter is organized around a series of letters that suor maria celeste wrote to galileo from may 1623, when galileo was 59 and already celebrated throughout europe, until april 1634, when she died of dysentary. Meanwhile their brother, vincenzio, the youngest child of galileo and marinas union, had been legitimized in a fiat by the grand duke of tuscany.
The difference in social positions between the poor but patrician galilei family and marina in part explained why he never married marina, and marias illegitimacy forced her to be placed in the. His daughters letters, and the book, display her sharp mind, hard work, and love for her publicly disgraced father. Synopsis from the international bestselling author of longitude, galileos daughter is the fascinating story of the relationship between the great italian scientist galileo and his daughter, virginia. It was nominated for the 2000 pulitzer prize for biography or autobiography. We learn as well that galileo was a generous benefactor of the convent, and that suor maria celeste served as an apothecary and was sought out by the abbesses to write important letters. Galileos daughter daniel boone regional library overdrive.
Galileo galilei was born in pisa italy in the same year as shakespeare, 1564, of father vincenzio galilei and giulia ammannati galilei. In galileo s daughter, dava sobel author of the bestselling longitude tells the story of the famous scientist and his illegitimate daughter, sister maria celeste. Her books include longitude, about english clockmaker john harrison, and galileos daughter, about galileos daughter maria celeste. It is based on the surviving letters of galileo galilei s daughter, the nun suor maria celeste, and explores the relationship between galileo and his daughter. A new paperback edition of a classic in the history of science, with more than 800,000 copies in print. Galileo s daughter does much more than chronicle these familiar events. A historical memoir of science, faith, and love, brings the famous scientist vividly to life while offering a unique perspective on his trial for.
A historical memoir of science, faith and love by dava sobel about the book dava sobel has had a lifelong fascination with galileo and her latest book,galileos daughter. Although the title of the book is galileo s daughter and the focus is on suor maria celeste, it is galileo s life that occupies centre stage. Galileos daughter king county library system overdrive. Kindle ebooks can be read on any device with the free kindle app. Moving between galileo s grand public life and maria celeste s sequestered world, sobel illuminates the florence of the medicis and the. Although the title of the book is galileos daughter and the focus is on suor maria celeste, it is galileos life that occupies centre stage. Her mother, marina gamba, was galileos housekeeper. This book, entitled galileos daughter is a dual biography, both of galileo and of his eldest daughter, a cloistered nun of the poor clares. Virginia, galileos oldest child, was born in padua on 12 august 1600. These are the first complete translations of the letters into english and for those who cannot read the. Sobel bases her book on 124 surviving letters to the scientist from the nun, whom galileo described as a woman of exquisite mind, singular goodness, and tenderly attached to me.
Julie 112220 this book tells the story of galileo from his daughters point of view. All three were born out of wedlock, and the two daughters were. The we of suer maria celestes letter speaks for herself and her sister, liviagalileos strange, silent second daughter, who also took the veil and vows at san matteo to become suor arcangela. The son of a musician, galileo galilei 15641642 tried at first to enter a monastery before engaging the skills that made him the foremost scientist of his day. Suor maria celeste may never have left the convent but in her letters she. Galileos daughter tells the story of the most dramatic collision in history between science and religion. As a result of her fathers work and her life in the convent, maria celeste was uniquely centered. In the wake of her success with galileos daughter, dava sobel brought out an edition of maria celestes complete surviving letters, letters to father 2001.
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