The Man Who Changed Everything: The Life of James Clerk Maxwell (Paperback)

by Basil Mahon (Author) "When they had their first glimpse of the newcomer, the boys of the second year class could scarcely contain their hostile curiosity..." (more)
Key Phrases: reciprocal diagrams, electrotonic state, spinning cells, Lewis Campbell, William Thomson, Royal Society (more...)

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)

Product Description
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.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 246 pages
• Publisher: Wiley (November 5, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470861711
• ISBN-13: 978-0470861714
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #130,384 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 41 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 500 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)

+++++

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" (altamonte spgs, fl United States) - 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.

20 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The history of an outstanding simple man...James Maxwell, April 1, 2005

By	Jose Ernesto Passos (São Paulo, SP Brazil) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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

When I started reading this book, I have seen something similar to the history of one of the greatest mathematicians, Euler.
Euler and Maxwell were probably similar in several ways, they were true genius but still kept in contact with normal people and enjoyed life. Their fame is not proportional to their contributions, Maxwell and Euler are in the same category as men like Einstein, Newton, Da Vinci.

Basil Mahon has done a great job of telling Maxwell life and presenting his contributions to science in a way that a lay person can understand. The great thing is that he presents the methods or models used by Maxwell to reach his conclusions. It makes easier for us to understand the thought process of a genius.

Clearly Basil Mahon admired his subject, and by extension the reader will get involved.