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Passionate Minds: Emilie du Chatelet, Voltaire, and the Great Love Affair of the Enlightenment
 
 
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Passionate Minds: Emilie du Chatelet, Voltaire, and the Great Love Affair of the Enlightenment (Paperback)

by David Bodanis (Author)
5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

Review
Passionate Minds is both glorious and heartbreaking. For two centuries Emilie du Châtelet has been a quiet heroine, her name rarely invoked outside the science classroom. Now David Bodanis has not only brought her to life, but also uncovered one of the great love affairs of the eighteenth century.”
—Amanda Foreman, author of Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire

“Installs Emilie in the front row of the pantheon of Enlightenment natural philosophers.”
The Times (London)

“Fast-paced, engrossing, and enlightening, Passionate Minds is a ‘can’t put it down’ read—
a mélange of colorful, fascinating characters, and ideas captured in an irresistible mix."
—Barbara Goldsmith, author of Obsessive Genius: The Inner World of Marie Curie

“Highly entertaining . . . and holds the most agreeable surprises. . . . A story well worth the retelling, and Bodanis tells it vividly.”
Sunday Times (London)

“Riveting, moving, often hilarious, Passionate Minds is gritty social history and hard science and romance all rolled into one. Both fast-paced and profound, Passionate Minds is an intellectual roller-coaster ride that puts the excitement back into the Enlightenment.”
—Emma Donoghue, author of Slammerkin

“This is an absorbing tale based on extensive research, and it takes full advantage of both heroes’ propensity for coining quotable witticisms. Bodanis eloquently evokes women’s restricted lives during the eighteenth century.”
The Guardian

“Bodanis is good at explaining complex science and skillful in weaving together two unconventional, complex, and intellectually reforming lives. . . . David Bodanis has taken up one of the great stories of the period, a potent mix of romance, science, and history. . . . T... --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Review
Passionate Minds is both glorious and heartbreaking. For two centuries Emilie du Châtelet has been a quiet heroine, her name rarely invoked outside the science classroom. Now David Bodanis has not only brought her to life, but also uncovered one of the great love affairs of the eighteenth century.”
—Amanda Foreman, author of Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire

“Installs Emilie in the front row of the pantheon of Enlightenment natural philosophers.”
The Times (London)

“Fast-paced, engrossing, and enlightening, Passionate Minds is a ‘can’t put it down’ read—
a mélange of colorful, fascinating characters, and ideas captured in an irresistible mix."
—Barbara Goldsmith, author of Obsessive Genius: The Inner World of Marie Curie

“Highly entertaining . . . and holds the most agreeable surprises. . . . A story well worth the retelling, and Bodanis tells it vividly.”
Sunday Times (London)

“Riveting, moving, often hilarious, Passionate Minds is gritty social history and hard science and romance all rolled into one. Both fast-paced and profound, Passionate Minds is an intellectual roller-coaster ride that puts the excitement back into the Enlightenment.”
—Emma Donoghue, author of Slammerkin

“This is an absorbing tale based on extensive research, and it takes full advantage of both heroes’ propensity for coining quotable witticisms. Bodanis eloquently evokes women’s restricted lives during the eighteenth century.”
The Guardian

“Bodanis is good at explaining complex science and skillful in weaving together two unconventional, complex, and intellectually reforming lives. . . . David Bodanis has taken up one of the great stories of the period, a potent mix of romance, science, and history. . . . There is never a dull moment.”
Sunday Telegraph


From the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

  • Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Three Rivers Press (October 2, 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0307237214
  • ISBN-13: 978-0307237217
  • Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #359,608 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

3 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
5.0 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Haunting story, February 14, 2008
By Elaine Walsh (Tucson, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
If you want something to read that's more improbable and exciting than most fiction, this is an excellent choice. Steeped in history, lovingly researched and with strong scientific underpinnings, this is a book that will make you feel like you almost know Voltaire and wish you knew (and you will weep for) the amazing Emilie du Chatelet.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book that stimulates the mind from many different angles, March 4, 2009
By B. Nelson-cheeseman (Berkeley, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
As mentioned by other reviews, this book has it all: romance, science, history, culture... I highly recommend it! Having read it over two years ago now, I am now longing to read it again...

And as much as a cliche as it may sound, I believe it can be highly beneficial to gift this book to teenage girls interested in math and science. I have already given it to the little sisters of multiple friends, and they have absolutely loved it. In addition to giving them a wonderful female role model in science and math, they also get to learn about the Enlightenment, Voltaire, France, Germany, etc. So, on top of being inspiring, it's also very educational.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Great historical non-fiction!, December 26, 2008
No matter your bent, this has something for everyone. Do you like romance, scandal, tragedy, humor, science, math, philosophy or social histories? It's all in there. Quite tragically, Emilie has been relegated to the dust bin of history. If you've read Voltaire, you know him in a singular dimension if you haven't read and absorbed Emilie's indelible fingerprint on his life. One of the best books I read last year, it's a tragedy in that Emilie died too young and her work does not survive her. Who knows what contributions she made in mathematics and sciences? Truly, you may get the idea her intellect transcended that of her lover Voltaire and you might not be far wrong.

I can't believe this book only has one review! It's a great book.
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