The Age of Wonder by Richard Holmes

While Romanticism in Great Britain is known mostly as an artistic, literary, & intellectual movement, rapid and revolutionary scientific discoveries were an underlying catalyst to the era's vaunted sense of "wonder." It was also a period when remarkable individuals working alone could make major contributions to knowledge. Historian & biographer Holmes conveys the history of Romantic-era science through vivid biographies of a few such individuals. Notable among them are Joseph Banks, a botanist whose experiences in Tahiti were life-changing; William Herschel, the eccentric astronomer who (aided invaluably by his devoted sister, Caroline) discovered the planet Uranus; & Humphrey Davy, an intrepid chemist who conducted gas inhalation experiments on himself. These and others are depicted against the cultural tapestry of an age of idealism, which was both fueled and threatened by the advances of science. The subject makes this book most relevant for readers of general science and history of science, but its engaging narratives of the period appeals to a broader readership.
14 copies in the library system including seven 2008 editions, four 2010 editions & Playaway format.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGHiXPw5JA4 5 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2FS9brqfG0 18 min audio only
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bU7OH6KPGiM 55 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krIG3_1WSHs 30 min