Letters and essays 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. There is evidence she prepared the manuscripts for some of galileos books. 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. From my first encounter with suor maria celeste virginia. Dava sobel not only finds new source information, the letters of galileos eldest daughter sister maria celeste, but also uses them to expand on what is commonly known about galileo the scientist, the accused heretic, and gives us galileo the father. Here youll find current best sellers in books, new releases in books, deals in books, kindle ebooks, audible audiobooks, and so much more.
Now dava sobel has translated into english all 124 surviving letters that virginia renamed suor maria celeste at the convent wrote to galileo. It also tells about the relationship between father and daughter, as the book was based on 124 letters maria celeste wrote to galileo while she lived in seclusion as a nun at the san matteo. Moving between galileo s grand public life and maria celeste s 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 being overturned. Sobel bases her book on 124 surviving letters to the scientist from the nun, whom galileo described as a woman of exquisite mind, singular. A stunning portrait of galileos daughter, a person.
It was nominated for the 2000 pulitzer prize for biography or autobiography. 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. Maria celeste the day after his sister virginia s funeral, the already worldrenowned scientist galileo galilei received this, the first of 124 surviving letters from the oncevoluminous correspondence he carried on with his elder daughter. Although the title of the book is galileo s daughter and the focus is on suor maria celeste, it is galileo. Dava sobel has had a lifelong fascination with galileo and her latest book, galileos daughter. The we of suer maria celeste s letter speaks for herself and her sister, livia galileo s strange, silent second daughter, who also took the veil and vows at san matteo to become suor arcangela. A historical memoir of science, faith and love in pdf format.
That familiar tale is given a new slant by sobel s translationfor the first time into englishof the 124 surviving letters to galileo by his daughter, suor maria celeste, a clarisse nun who. In 16, when daughters virginia and livia were and 12, respectively, galileo placed them in florences convent of san matteo. There must be literally hundreds of books on the man, and his works. 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, dava sobel author of the bestselling longitude tells the story of the famous scientist and his illegitimate daughter, sister maria celeste. It s a biography of galileo filled primarily with contextual prose with a letter or two per chapter.
Suor maria celeste may never have left the convent but in her letters she. Yes, galileo had a daughter, in fact two daughters and a son, the illegitimate offspring of a liaison with a venetian beauty. Galileo s daughter a historical memoir of science, faith, and love book. Galileo s daughter is the story of both galileo and his wise and intelligent older daughter, maria celeste. A historical memoir of science, faith, and love is a book by dava sobel. She was the daughter of the scientist galileo galilei and marina gamba. The eldest of galileo s children was his daughter virginia, who took the name suor maria celeste in the convent. Virginia was the eldest of three siblings, with a sister livia and a brother vincenzio. All three were born out of wedlock, and the two daughters were. Virginia, galileo s oldest child, was born in padua on 12 august 1600. Sobel s companion book, galileo s daughter, a biography of suor maria celeste that necessarily includes a portrait of galileo s personal life, one i consider to be the best in print.
Maria celeste virginia galilei 16001634 galileo s daughter. A historical memoir of science, faith, and love is a 1999 nonfiction book by dava sobel. In her thirty years as a science journalist, she has written for many magazines, and coauthored six books, including is more about dava sobel. But an equally intriguing drama existed in the discovery of that swing. Mcmillan palgravea new paperback edition of a classic in the history of science, with more than. That familiar tale is given a new slant by sobels translation for the first time into english of the 124 surviving letters to galileo by his daughter, suor maria celeste, a clarisse nun who died at age 33its a wholly involving tale, a worthy followup after four years to sobels surprise bestseller, longitude. The letters of sister maria celeste to galileo, 16231633.
In galileos daughter, sobel strikes a balance between the worldly exploits of galileo and the unsophisticated, quiet life of his cloistered daughter by juxtaposing galileos feats with letters from suor maria celeste. In the wake of her success with galileo s daughter, dava sobel brought out an edition of maria celeste s complete surviving letters, letters to father 2001. 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 with. 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. Nov 01, 2000 dava sobel has had a lifelong fascination with galileo and her latest book,galileos daughter. Moving between galileo s grand public life and maria celeste s sequestered world, sobel illuminates the florence of the medicis and the. This book is a collection of those surviving letters, a wonderful look into the lives of both daughter and the famous scientist, galileo. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of galileos daughter by dava sobel.
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. Moving between galileos public life and maria celestes sequestered world, sobel illuminates the florence of the medicis and the papal court in rome during an era when humanitys. Published november 1st 2000 by penguin books nyc first published. I often think this was the book i was born to write. The famous scientist and his illegitimate daughter. They exchanged correspondence so frequently that by the time maria celeste died, her possessions consisted chiefly of her fathers letters. Galileo s daughter also presents a stunning portrait of a person hitherto lost to history, described by her father. Galileo held on to his daughter s missives indiscriminately, collecting her requests for fruits or sewing supplies alongside her outbursts on ecclesiastical politics. Dava sobel born june 15, 1947, the bronx, new york is an american writer of popular expositions of scientific topics. The fascinating letters of galileos eldest daughter to her father placed in a convent at the age of thirteen, virginia galilei, galileos eldest daughter, wrote to her father continually. The we of suer maria celeste s letter speaks for herself andher sister, livia galileo s strange, silent second daughter, whoalso took the veil and vows at san matteo to become suor arcangela.
I believe letters to father should be read after ms. Unfortunately, after maria celeste died the mother superior was concerned about controversy and destroyed galileos letters, so the book quotes only the letters galileo received from his daughter. Galileos daughter was her fathers greatest source of strength during his most difficult time. She also supplied the class with her translations of all 124 letters from maria celeste to galileo. The latter was written during galileo s deposition before the inquisition. It details the relationship between renaissance scientist galileo and his daughter suor maria celeste, a nun. In the book, galileos daughter, suor maria celeste, having been consigned to i knew when i purchased it that it wasnt actually about galileos daughter, that the story was almost entirely galileos. Ms sobel writes that his letters were probably destroyed by the convent after her death. A stunning portrait of galileos daughter, a person hitherto. Oct 01, 1999 galileo s daughter is the biography of the great philosopher and astronomer, with some loving letters by his daughter interspersed throughout the narrative. What convinced you their relationship would be a good subject for a book.
That familiar tale is given a new slant by sobels translationfor the first time into englishof the 124 surviving letters to galileo by his daughter, suor maria celeste, a clarisse nun who died at age 33. A drama of science, faith and love new ed by sobel, dava isbn. Macmilland, 1870, published anonymously, but written by mary allanolney. Galileo was accused twice of heresy by the church for his beliefs, and wrote a number of books on his ideas. There is an immense drama in the stars, in the way the planets swing around one another. Galileo, now fiftynine, also stood boldly alone in his worldview, as suor maria celeste knew from reading the books he wrote and the letters he shared with her. Suor maria celestes letters to galileo have survived. With maria celeste, apparently his most gifted child, galileo carried on a long. Letters to father by maria celeste galilei, dava sobel. A historical memoir of science, faith, and love dava sobel. While studying galileo s efforts to solve the longitude problem, i read a book that included.
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. Inspired by a long fascination with galileo, and by the remarkable surviving letters of galileo s daughter, a cloistered nun, dava sobel has written a biography unlike any other of the man albert einstein called the father of modern physics indeed of modern science altogether. Moving between galileo s grand public life and maria celeste s sequestered world, sobel illuminates the florence of the medicis and. Born virginia in 1600, she was thirteen when galileo placed her in a convent near him in florence, where she took the most appropriate name of suor maria celeste.
Of their voluminous correspondence, only a few letters remain today, written by suor maria celeste and saved by galileo. With his eldest daughter virginia, who took the name of maria celeste when she took her vows, galileo had an exceptionally close relationship. Galileo galilei was born in pisa italy in the same year as shakespeare, 1564, of father vincenzio galilei and giulia ammannati galilei. 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. Her mother, marina gamba, was galileo s housekeeper. The author of the bestselling longitude and galileos daughter, sobels work has also appeared in audubon, discover, life, and the new yorker. I felt a bond with the title character, though she was a catholic nun living in tuscany in the early sixteenth century, and i was raised jewish in the bronx in the midtwentieth. Sister maria celeste 16 august 1600 2 april 1634, born virginia galilei, was a nun. Galileo was at the heart of the most dramatic collision between. I have looked carefully at the italian originals of all the letters translated in full in galileo s daughter. Suor maria celeste was joined at the convent by her younger sister, livia, who took the name sister arcangela. Compiled principally from his correspondence and that of his eldest daughter, sister maria celeste, nun in the franciscan convent of s. From the international bestselling author of longitude, galileos daughter is the. That familiar tale is given a new slant by sobels translationfor the first time into englishof the 124 surviving letters to galileo by his daughter, suor maria celeste, a clarisse nun who.
In her research for that work, she was studying what galileo had to say about longitude when she came across a fragment of a letter written to him by his daughter, sister maria celeste. It is based on the surviving letters of galileo galileis daughter, the nun suor maria celeste, and explores the relationship between galileo and his daughter. A historical memoir of science, faith, and love, brings the famous scientist vividly to life while offering a unique perspective on his trial for heresy and subsequent years under house arrest. Sobel, author of the bestselling longitude 1995, has elegantly translated the letters galileo s eldest child, virginia, wrote to him and uses them as a leitmotif to illuminate their deep mutual love, religious faith, and dedication to science. Dava sobel, a former new york times science reporter, is the author of longitude, galileos daughter, and letters to father. The gentle, intelligent voice of galileos daughter speaks across the centuries in 124 remarkable epistlespublished for the first time in englishwritten to her father in the early 17th century.
Of galileo s three illegitimate children, the eldest best mirrored his own brilliance, industry, and sensibility, and by virtue of these qualities became his confidante. Galileo s 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. How did you first learn of suor maria celeste s letters to her father galileo. When the girls turned 16, they both took vows and new names. It is based on the surviving letters of galileo galileis daughter, the nun suor maria celeste. Galileos daughter book contra costa county library. Sister maria celeste 16 august 1600 2 april 1634, born virginia galilei, was the daughter of the italian scientist galileo galilei and marina. The realization that galileo had fathered two nuns made me question everything id been taught about him in school. Dava sobel explores the life and times of galileo galilei in her partly epistolary, partly historic book galileo s daughter. Maria celeste the day after his sister virginias funeral, the already worldrenowned scientist galileo galilei received this, the first of 124 surviving letters from the oncevoluminous correspondence he carried on with his elder daughter. Moving between galileo s public life and maria celeste s sequestered world, sobel illuminates the florence of the medicis and the papal. Early life galileo galilei was born in pisa in the duchy of florence, italy, on. 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. Nov 16, 2016 her books include longitude, about english clockmaker john harrison, and galileos daughter, about galileos daughter maria celeste.
She also supplied the class with her translations of all 124. 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. 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. In galileos daughter, ms sobel interweaves the stories of father and daughter. To ask other readers questions about galileos daughter, please sign up. 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. 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. Nov 15, 2016 a stunning portrait of galileos daughter, a person hitherto lost to history 1999. A reasonable work and interesting for trying to convey the life and times of galileo s daughter as well as the life of the great man himself.
Her support was her father s greatest source of strength. Sobel bases her book on 124 surviving letters to the scientist from the nun, whom galileo described as. Her loving support, which galileo repaid in kind, proved to be her fathers greatest source of strength throughout his. The author of galileos daughter, dava sobel, is the author of an earlier work, longitude. I have been reading a lot of biographies lately something i had sworn, i would never have an interest in, and this one is unique because it primarily focuses on the relationship between. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Sobel was born on june 15, 1947 in the bronx, new york city. 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 with catholic doctrine continues to define the schism between science and religionthe man albert einstein. The books homepage helps you explore earths biggest bookstore without ever leaving the comfort of your couch. Galileo s daughter dava sobel an interview with dava sobel. One hundred and twenty letters from maria to her famous father survive, and these are. Copernicus who is an important figure in this story of galileos life published on the revolutions of the celestial spheres shortly before his death in 1634. Oct 02, 2010 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. Dava sobel has translated these letters from italian and based on these letters and other documentary evidence available, she has composed the life.
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