The Comet Sweeper: Caroline Herschel's Astronomical Ambition [Hardcover]

Claire Brock (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 6, 2004

"The Comet Sweeper" is the incredible story of Britain's first female professional scientist, Caroline Herschel - a true Enlightenment celebrity whose rediscovery is long overdue. Such was Herschel's reputation that a congratulatory letter in 1790 from the director of the Paris Observatory was simply addressed to 'Mlle Caroline Herschel, Astronome Celebre, Slough.' Having escaped domestic servitude in Germany by teaching herself to sing and establishing a career in England, Herschel learned astronomy while helping her brother William, then Astronomer Royal. Soon she was making scientific discoveries in her own right, and she swept to international scientific and popular fame. She was awarded a salary by George III in 1787, becoming the first woman in Britain ever to make her living from science. But, as a woman in a male-dominated world, Herschel's great success was achieved despite constant frustration of her ambitions. Assisting her brother had to take priority over her own work, and his marriage separated her from the instruments of her trade, stalling her career. Drawing on original sources - including Herschel's diaries and her fiery letters - Claire Brock tells the story of a woman so determined to win independence and satisfy her ambition that she moved careers and countries while chasing success.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

About the author Claire Brock is a lecturer in the English Department at the University of Leicester. She was recently awarded the British Society for the History of Science's Singer Prize for an article on the Victorian scientist and writer Mary Somerville. She is available for interview.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Totem Books (February 6, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1840467207
• ISBN-13: 978-1840467208
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,171,506 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A concise biography of Caroline Herschel, but biased?, May 17, 2008

By 

white gold wielder (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Comet Sweeper: Caroline Herschel's Astronomical Ambition (Hardcover)

This book can be credited for giving a well-paced review of the life of Caroline Herschel, and her career in both music and astronomy.

However, having read other books about Caroline Herschel, including her Memoirs and from a book "The Herschel Chronicles" written by William's granddaughter, my own interpretation of Caroline is different from that of Claire Brock's.

Brock's Caroline Herschel is bitter and resentful towards people around her. Brock's CH suffers from cynical manipulation and restrictions while living at home with her mother in Hanover Germany, and also while living in England with her brother William.

I find from the non-Brock readings a different Caroline. I find a woman whose early life in Hanover certainly did feature restrictions upon what she may learn and do, but that such was not the case while she lived in England.

To my mind, it appears an odd assertion from Brock that one member of the greatest astronomical team in history should feel so bitter and resentful towards her research partner.

Indeed one can find in Caroline's Memoirs statements of tremendous admiration towards her brother: both his industrious nature, and his accomplishments.

In summary, the Brock book is sufficient for a concise account of Caroline Herschel's life. However, it would appear that Brock has a political axe to grind, attempting to portray her subject as someone mistreated by every person she met.

Unhappily, Brock's bias serves to undermine what is otherwise a good biography of the brilliant astronomer, Caroline Herschel.

4.0 out of 5 stars Thorough and Well Balanced Biography, October 20, 2009

By 

Paul Crabtree (Oakland, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Comet Sweeper: Caroline Herschel's Astronomical Ambition (Hardcover)

Caroline Herschel is a fascinating scientific pioneer as well as the overshadowed runt of a litter of German musical/military children, and this biography presents plenty of documentary evidence to back up its assertions. It is accurately and admirably researched from the source material, fascinating to read and easy to digest.

The book is easy to read in one sitting, despite its size and heft. The paper is so thick and the margins are so large that a condensed edition would be more appropriate.