The Man Who Changed Everything: The Life of James Clerk Maxwell [Paperback]

Basil Mahon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 8, 2004

This is the first biography in twenty years of James Clerk Maxwell, one of the greatest scientists of our time and yet a man relatively unknown to the wider public. Approaching science with a freshness unbound by convention or previous expectations, he produced some of the most original scientific thinking of the nineteenth century — and his discoveries went on to shape the twentieth century.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is a wonderful, short biography that gives a vivid account of James Clerk Maxwell's life and work." (Materials Today, June 2004)

"...an absorbing account of Maxwell's life and work" (Sunday Telegraph Review, 19^th September 2004)

"...provides the reader with the opportunity to understand Maxwell's contributions to modern science and technology." (The Mathematical Gazette, March 2005)

"...a fascinating book about an inspiring man..." (Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, Vol.36, No.3, March 2005)

From the Inside Flap

James Clerk Maxwell (1831- 1879) changed our perception of reality and laid the foundations for many of the scientific and technological advances of the twentieth century. An unassuming and modest man, who simply wanted to understand how the world around him worked, he made fundamental contributions to every aspect of physical science. By discovering the nature of electromagnetic waves, he made possible the development of our great communications networks: television, radio, radar and the mobile telephone. He took the first colour photograph and introduced the system of thought experiments, later used by Einstein. His influence across all areas of physical science has been enormous. Often his ideas were ahead of his time and we had to wait many years before others confirmed his theories.

Leading scientists have always recognised Maxwell as a giant figure and he holds a unique position among them, inspiring both wonder and affection. In life, he was a blend of opposites - a serious man who saw fun everywhere, a hopeless teacher who inspired students, a shy man who was the hub of any gathering where he felt at ease.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (November 8, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470861711
• ISBN-13: 978-0470861714
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #160,029 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The man who bridged the gap between Newton and Einstein!!!, July 16, 2005

By 

Stephen Pletko "Uncle Stevie" (London, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Man Who Changed Everything: The Life of James Clerk Maxwell (Hardcover)

+++++

Who wrote these poetic lines?

"Trust me spring is very near,
All the buds are swelling;
All the glory of the year
In those buds is dwelling."

The obvious answer is some famous poet. Right? Wrong! These are the lines in a poem written by a forgotten icon in science named James Clerk Maxwell (1831 to 1879). Learning that this great scientist was also a poet is just one of the facts you'll find in this extremely well organized, well-written, easy-to-read book authored by former engineer Basil Mahon.

Even before plunging into the main narrative, I was impressed with the material beforehand.

Take the table of contents. At a glance, I can tell you what happened anytime in Maxwell's life. For example, what happened between 1856 and 1860. I just have to glance at the table of contents. For chapter 6, it has the title "Saturn and Statistics: Aberdeen 1856-1860." (Saturn is the sixth planet in our solar system.)

There is also a "chronology" that lists the "principle events in Maxwell's life." For instance, what significant event occurred in 1858? Answer at a glance: Maxwell was awarded the Adams' Prize for his essay "On the Stability of the Motion of Saturn's Rings."

As well, there is a "cast of characters." That is, a summary outline of "Maxwell's relations and close friends" found throughout the book. For example, who was William Thompson (later Baron Kelvin)? Answer at a glance: He was a friend (and mentor of the early stages of Maxwell's career) and Professor of Natural Philosophy at Glasgow University.

In his main narrative, Mahon tells us everything about Maxwell beginning with his early years and ending with his early death. We learn about his world-shaking scientific discoveries as well as about the man himself. With regards to this entire book, the publication "Nature" said it best:

"not merely an absorbing account of Maxwell's life [but] an explanation of why his work is at the foundation of the modern world."

Mahon's main narrative shines with his last two chapters entitled "Last days" and "Maxwell's legacy" respectively.

In the former case, we learn the actual words of a doctor treating him for his medical condition: "No man ever met death more consciously or more calmly." (This is another bonus of Mahon's book in that he punctuates it with the actual words used by those who knew Maxwell or uses Maxwell's actual words.)

In the latter case, we learn of Maxwell's extensive legacy. His achievements are too numerous to list but perhaps Einstein said it best:

"One scientific epoch ended and another began with James Clerk Maxwell."

There are more than twenty black-and-white illustrations located in the center of this book. I found these interesting.

You don't have to be a science wiz to read this book. However, it would be helpful to have some basic science background or have access to a good science dictionary if you want to fully understand the science parts of this book.

Once you've finished reading the main narrative of this book, that's it. Well, no. The Notes gives some interesting information that did not make into the main narrative.

Finally, I was surprised by two things:

(1) Mahon did not mention the curious coincidence that the year in which Maxwell died (1879), was the same year that Einstein was born.
(2) There was an electromagnetic unit named after Maxwell called, appropriately, the "maxwell" (symbol: Mx). It has been recently replaced by another name.

In conclusion, this is a fascinating book that gives us insight into a neglected scientific icon. I'm glad this book gave me the opportunity to know a little about James Clerk Maxwell!!

(first published 2003; list of illustrations; preface; acknowledgements; chronology; cast of characters; introduction; 12 chapters; main narrative 185 pages; notes; bibliography; index)

+++++

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Lacks a strong narrative, not enough science, March 1, 2008

By 

Joshua L. Soldati "Josh" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Man Who Changed Everything: The Life of James Clerk Maxwell (Paperback)

It is amazing that such a pivotal figure in physics remains relatively unknown to the public at large. I even asked a British friend of mine -- who actually went to Cambridge -- if he knew who James Clerk Maxwell was. He hadn't the foggiest.

So it's a shame that this narrow biography (barely 190 pages of actual content -- excluding end-notes, etc.) does not deliver a more compelling picture of both the man and the scientist.

A good biographer must do more than collect a series of chronological facts and array them in a sensible order; he must know how to tell a story. A science biographer has an even more daunting task -- he must tell the story of his subject while at the same time unraveling the wonder of scientific discovery. Mahon fails at both of these.

Mahon's style is factual and competent, but he fails to convey any essence of the man himself. Who was James Clerk Maxwell? I know where he lived, where he taught, and what he did, but I have no greater insight whatsoever into what drove the man. What were his hopes, fears, ambitions?

While it is possible that there was not enough historical source material to paint this picture, I highly doubt it. A prolific letter writer (by Mahon's own account), I would have appreciated far more quotes from Maxwell's own writings (both private and published). Anything -- realy -- to give greater insight into the man.

Pehraps equally disappointing is the limited play that Mahon gives Maxwell's science. While he does provide a cursory view of some of Maxwell's greatest achievements, I believe he does not go deep enough. I admit that the topic of electromagentic field theory is complex, but a greater effort shoud have been made to explain how important this development was to the development of modern field theory. Oddly, Mahon spends time explaining Maxwell's equations (i.e., the meaning of the terms), but is not able to truly convey their beauty or importance to the layman. More importantly, Mahon fails to demonstrate exactly why the subject of his biography lives up to the book's title "The Man Who Changed Everything."

In many ways, James Clerk Maxwell's fame seems inversely proportional to his influence on the historical development of modern physics. So it's regrettable that it has been left to Mahon to write the modern biography of such a great man.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A working man's scientist, June 20, 2005

By 

Jose C. Amram "laser_mechanic" (California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Man Who Changed Everything: The Life of James Clerk Maxwell (Hardcover)

Maxwell was a man for all times; unassuming till the end, but always striving to research something, to help others, to understand nature and technology. There is no telling what other gems he might have uncovered if he had not died relatively young.

The book does not mention Oliver Heaviside and other "maxwellians" who further interpreted and cleaned up his equations (from the nightmare quarternion to the practical vector spaces), but it is a tribute to his genius nonetheless. I enjoyed every page.