At the end of the eighteenth century, two brilliant and eccentric young scientists set out to measure the world. Alexander von Humboldt swashbckled his way across the globe, navigating ocean and jungle, eating with cannibals, swimming with electric eels, lowering himself into volcanoes and scaling the highest mountain known to man.

Carl Fredrich Gauss, on the other hand, stayed at home using the power of thought to battle his way into exotic mathematical realms and the landmark realization that space is curved.
(From the back cover)


:-) What an amazing book this is! I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is a delightful read and the adventures of each of these two great men are told in alternating chapters making reading this book quite adictive. I loved the playful tone of this book which brought the characters to life! I have put it into the Lit/Fiction category, but it is really Historical Fiction. I will be sending this on a bookring. PM me if you are interested in joining.
(Book has 255 pgs and weighs 220gms)

This book is also on the 1001 list!!

article from guardian
Pictures: First one is Humboldt 1815 at the age of 45
Second one is Gauss 1828

Participants:
scrapaholic Darwin, NT
Pixette Sydney, NSW
piemunga Newtown, NSW
puppymummy Melbourne, VIC


(Back to me)

*The translator of this book also translated The Reader by Bernhard Schlink

Has arrived safely in Darwin

What an interesting book. I like the way the book was written - alternating chapters for each of the 2 main characters. Thanks for sharing thi book.
Will send it on to pixette soon.

Sorry about the tardiness of journalling this book's arrival. This book turned up at a rather turbulent time in my life and I forgot to write.

I have started reading and am enjoying it although I've not got very far yet. More later as I progress.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to get into the style or characters of this book, although I thought the concept quite interesting.

I'm declaring defeat and it's time to move this book on, I have had it too long in the hope it would grow on me.

Thanks so much for sharing and I'll get it off to the next recipient asap.

RELEASE NOTES:

received in the post today. i have 1 and a half bookrings in front but i'll try to get to it as soon as possible!

i never really got into this, although there were some very witty moments.

thanks carole888

RELEASE NOTES:

Posted off to puppymummy today

Arrived safely in Melbourne, looking forward to it!

This has taken me an embarrassingly long time to read, I'll plead life as in the last two years my life has completely changed in almost all aspects - moving house, end of a long-term relationship and also losing my job and going back to uni.
Anyway, I have finally finished the book and found it hugely interesting, if a bit hard to follow. I didn't know anything about either of the scientists, and I ended up looking up information about them to find out how much of the book was based on fact and how much fiction. It's interesting how many scientists are portrayed as at least eccentric and probably incredibly rude - not just these two, but also Newton, Mendeleyev and others I've read about.
Thanks for the opportunity to read this, and once more I'm sorry to have taken so long. This will be in the post to come home shortly.

The book arrived today in a huge 3kg bag filled with books. You shouldn't have worried as there has been too many things happening at your end, puppymummy ................ but thank you so much - It was a lovely surprise. I do hope things get better. Wishing you lots of luck and the best with your new start.

And to everyone else: Hope all is well. Last year, I noticed an audio version of this book on the shelves at our local library. Mr888 borrowed it and found it quite interesting. Thank you for taking part in the ring, for your journal entries and for helping the book travel. :)