Book Review

The Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror of Science by Richard Holmes

B+

Genre: Nonfiction

Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror of Science is a nonfiction book that combines science, history, biography, and a dollop of poetry to cover an amazing era of scientific discovery and artistic innovation. It covers the Georgian Era in England and ends at the beginning of the Victorian. By framing the story in chapters about individual scientists, and tying their scientific efforts to the Romantic Movement in the arts, the book stays entertaining and exciting.

Age of Wonder starts with the first voyage of Joseph Banks, a naturalist who sailed to Tahiti and Australia with Captain James Cook in 1766. In this book, Banks comes across as an incredibly engaging and occasionally baffling character. He is also smoking hot. Happily, this book includes a lot of illustrations. Someone alert Aidan Turner about this, please. The book provides plenty of entertaining details about his friendships and his love life. It’s a BBC series waiting to happen!

Banks’ most important contribution to science was arguably his devotion to supporting the work of other scientists. He became the President of the Royal Society in 1778. His time with the Society ties the book together, as he took a great interest in the work of other scientists in the book, which include William and Caroline Herschel (astronomers), Mungo Park (explorer), and Humphry Davy, who experimented with nitrous oxide and invented a lamp that prevented mine explosions. He also supported the work of early balloonists, although I regret that my beloved Sophie Blanchard only has a brief mention.

The chapters follow these people and the effect they had on the arts and public consciousness. One chapter chronicles the debates about vitalism (the belief that living creatures contain or are governed by a non-physical element). These debates influenced Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein. Other chapters explore the Romantic conception of the scientist as a lone genius who has a “Eureka!” moment. Throughout the book, the author explores both the Romantic fascination with science and the fear that science might make nature less amazing.

Age of Wonder winds down with the death of Joseph Banks and the rise of a new generation of scientists including Charles Babbage, Charles Darwin, Michael Faraday, and John Herschel (William Herschel’s son). This generation formed a rival society, The British Science Association, in 1831. The members of the society first used the word “scientist” (a word invented by William Whewell and adopted after fierce debate) to mean a person who studies natural phenomenon. The Age of Wonder thus passed on to the Victorian Era.

I loved how this book kept scientific study personal and exciting. Each reader will probably find their own favorite character. I wasn’t terribly interested in Davy, which is odd since he led a busy life of poisoning himself, blowing things up, fishing, and having sex. Despite Davy’s many accomplishments, the book dragged in his chapters. On the other hand, Caroline Herschel is my new hero. Her story of frustration and accomplishment is made as enthralling as Mungo Park’s story of finding himself robbed, alone, and naked in the middle of a plain in Africa (he considered just keeling over and dying on the spot but was distracted by an interesting plant and rallied).

Age of Wonder highlights the careers of geniuses while also debunking the idea of the Eureka! moment and the lone genius. While these people were brilliant, they worked in close relationships and sometimes vicious rivalry with each other. They relied on groups like the Royal Society for funding, encouragement, inspiration, and criticism. Regency romance readers who love a science hero or heroine will enjoy this book, in which sex, curiosity, adventure, tedium, money, and marriage can make or break a career.

Weird trivia:

The Royal Society was founded in 1662 and did not admit women until 1945. They have never had a female president.

Caroline Herschel, like me, was less than five feet tall. Represent, Caroline.

More importantly, a paper written by Caroline Herschel was accepted by the Royal Society in 1818. It was the first time the Society accepted a paper by a woman.

Mungo Park was named after the Gaelic saint, St. Mungo. He disappeared during his second trip through Africa. His son went looking for him and disappeared as well.

Charles Dickens made fun of the British Science Association in “The Mudfrog Society for the Advancement of Everything.

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The Age of Wonder by Richard Holmes

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  1. Erin Satie says:

    I read FALLING UPWARD a while ago (I have some hot air balloon stuff in my last book and it was research) & really, really enjoyed it–both the subject matter and the writing, too, which was engaging and readable.

    So AGE OF WONDER has been on my to-read list for a while & I think this has bumped it up to the top. It sounds really good.

  2. I loved this book. Holmes is a fantastic writer of historical non-fiction. Like Erin, I also recommend Falling Upward.

  3. Rachel says:

    Sounds fascinating! I really love the Objectivity YouTube channel, in which a historian at the Royal Society tells the story of some object in the Society’s vaults each episode. It has given me a hankering to read more about the history of science and scientists– I highly recommend it if you haven’t checked it out!

  4. greennily says:

    I also think this sounds fascinating and definitely will check it out! Thank you so much for the review! I love it when books like that are reviewed on this site!

    Rachel, thanks for the Objectivity channel rec! It’s awesome!

  5. Zyva says:

    Sadly, the first thing that leaps to my, and many another Australian mind, at the sound of “Joseph Banks” is the thuggish Banksia Men ( Snugglepot and Cuddlepie , May Gibbs). Bring on that BBC series!

  6. chacha1 says:

    hmmm this sounds great, but I really don’t like the way my Kindle renders illustrations. Will have to try and find the book itself. 🙂

  7. Susan Taylor Proctor says:

    This book sounds amazing! Have ordered paperback due to comment by chacha1 regarding Kindle rendering illustrations. I find Kindle works well for straight text only. Will be checking out YouTube. Thanks for that too!

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