HISTORY OF SCIENCE 1700-1900

As the twentieth century dawned, many scientists believed they had a thorough understanding of the material world--then quantum theory and relativity burst that bubble. But after listening to the 36 lectures in Professor Gregory's enjoyable survey of science in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, you begin to appreciate the extraordinary achievement of humanity during this period. Occasionally Gregory dips too deeply into philosophy, and he has a tendency to overemphasize German contributions (his research specialty), but he's excellent at explaining the significance of important discoveries, and he's a good storyteller to boot. Adding just the right amount of biographical background, he brings alive the scientists, as well as the science. D.B. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 04]