Customer Reviews

The Lunar Men: A Story of Science, Art, Invention and Passion

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What's so interesting is to learn
about the intellectual excitement in investigating
sciences that hadn't yet become the provinces of
academics and professionals. It makes me think of the
enthusiasm surrounding digital and computer
technologies--most of the interesting stuff in those
areas is done outside of academia. Innovations can
come from anywhere. It's also interesting to learn
that these 18th century folks from the midlands lived
so large and traveled so much abroad. I suppose they
weren't just ordinary people, but still it's
surprising. I suppose the innovations of the midland
potters and "toy" makers were the iPods and mobile
phones of their day.

There are also some writing gems in this book. I like
this about James Watt on page 101: "Standing on the
Green, which on weekdays was white with linen laid out
to bleach, the realization 'flashed on his mind at
once, and filled him with rapture'. But it was the
Sabbath, and no good Presbyterian could work. The
grass was bare of cloth and Watt had to wait."