Declare Books Conducive To The Invention of Clouds
| Original Title: | The Invention of Clouds: How an Amateur Meteorologist Forged the Language of the Skies |
| ISBN: | 0374177155 (ISBN13: 9780374177157) |
| Edition Language: | English |
| Literary Awards: | Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Science and Technology (2001), Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction Nominee (2002) |
Richard Hamblyn
Hardcover | Pages: 403 pages Rating: 3.67 | 184 Users | 35 Reviews
Present Out Of Books The Invention of Clouds
| Title | : | The Invention of Clouds |
| Author | : | Richard Hamblyn |
| Book Format | : | Hardcover |
| Book Edition | : | First Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 403 pages |
| Published | : | August 20th 2001 by Farrar Straus Giroux (first published January 1st 2001) |
| Categories | : | Science. Nonfiction. History. Environment. Nature. Biography |
Description In Favor Of Books The Invention of Clouds
The Invention of Clouds is the true story of Luke Howard, the amateur English meteorologist who in 1802 gave the clouds their names -- cumulus, cirrus, stratus. He immediately gained international fame, becoming a cult figure among artists and painters -- Goethe, Constable, and Coleridge revered him -- and legitimizing the science of meteorology. Part history of science, part cultural excavation, this is not only the biography of a man, but of a moment: the cultural birth of the modern scientific era.Rating Out Of Books The Invention of Clouds
Ratings: 3.67 From 184 Users | 35 ReviewsWrite-Up Out Of Books The Invention of Clouds
Good history of who said what & when, I suppose, but it did get a bit tedious - more about the politics of nineteenth century "science" than meteorology. It didn't work for me, but good research by the author - it's a history worth preserving.Very enjoyable, remarkably informative, and written with enthusiasm for the subject. My only gripe being that I found it wandered somewhat, much like a cloud, and I would have preferred a less time-wandered telling along a fixed timeline. Highly recommended none the less.
Really quite an interesting read for the first 200 pages - the history of the nomenclature of clouds interspesed with fascinating facts about meteorology. It however gets a bit too much when the author claims that 19th century poetry was influenced by Luke Howard's work - Goethe was a fan, apparently...
Yet another book I loved! As a sailor I have a keen interest in the weather and some meteorological knowledge beyond your average everyday stuff.... This well written historical and scientific book on the life of Luke Howard and how he gave us the classification of clouds that we use even today, is great! The writer is obviously enthusiastic about his subject and this comes across!! I enjoyed reading it very much... Towards the end mention is made of how photography made cloud classification
"Every cloud is a small catastrophe,a world of vapor that dies before our eyes.So how, when it is gone, and not a traceof its provisional existenceremains, might it be registered as anything other than a cursory sign in the sky? (124)
This was interesting--an insight both into meteorological history and (of interest to me) Quaker history. Excellently researched and structured...really delves into both the roots of meteorology and Howard's background and personality. I read the hardcover edition, the one depicted here, and I cannot for the life of me figure out why someone designed a book that was over an inch thick, about 5 inches high, and 8 inches wide. It hurt my hands to hold this book while reading it! I'm jealous of
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