Hats off for a now-unconscionably little-known hero of science.
On the occasion of his 250th birthday, a German import offers an account of the life and exploits of the 19th century’s most renowned celebrity scientist.
Justly proclaiming von Humboldt a “blazing hero” of the transformation of science from the recondite pursuit of a few to a field of knowledge accessible to anyone, Mehnert retraces his expeditions through the Americas from 1799 to 1804 and into Siberia in 1829. He gathered crates full of specimens, intrepidly climbed volcanoes, mapped and took careful measurements, impulsively abandoned planned itineraries to hare off in search of rumored new wonders…then returned home to report on what he had seen and found, employing his gifts as a “mesmerizing storyteller” in a stream of popular books and lectures. Along with chronicling his long association with traveling companion Aimé Bonpland, a botanist of note, the author offers nods to some of his network of colleagues, from his sister-in-law Caroline von Humboldt to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Charles Darwin, and Simón Bolívar. His private life remains largely unexamined—including his likely same-sex relationships—but to round out his character and achievements, his sharp views on slavery and prescient insights on climate also get airings. Aside from a trio of maps the illustrations are largely just decorative landscapes or assemblages of tropical wildlife.
Hats off for a now-unconscionably little-known hero of science. (multimedia resource lists) (Biography. 10-13)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-61519-631-9
Page Count: 112
Publisher: The Experiment
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2019
A breezy, bustling bucketful of courageous acts and eye-popping feats.
Why should grown-ups get all the historical, scientific, athletic, cinematic, and artistic glory?
Choosing exemplars from both past and present, Mitchell includes but goes well beyond Alexander the Great, Anne Frank, and like usual suspects to introduce a host of lesser-known luminaries. These include Shapur II, who was formally crowned king of Persia before he was born, Indian dancer/professional architect Sheila Sri Prakash, transgender spokesperson Jazz Jennings, inventor Param Jaggi, and an international host of other teen or preteen activists and prodigies. The individual portraits range from one paragraph to several pages in length, and they are interspersed with group tributes to, for instance, the Nazi-resisting “Swingkinder,” the striking New York City newsboys, and the marchers of the Birmingham Children’s Crusade. Mitchell even offers would-be villains a role model in Elagabalus, “boy emperor of Rome,” though she notes that he, at least, came to an awful end: “Then, then! They dumped his remains in the Tiber River, to be nommed by fish for all eternity.” The entries are arranged in no evident order, and though the backmatter includes multiple booklists, a personality quiz, a glossary, and even a quick Braille primer (with Braille jokes to decode), there is no index. Still, for readers whose fires need lighting, there’s motivational kindling on nearly every page.
A breezy, bustling bucketful of courageous acts and eye-popping feats. (finished illustrations not seen) (Collective biography. 10-13)Pub Date: May 10, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-14-751813-2
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Puffin
Review Posted Online: Nov. 10, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2015
This glossy, colorful title in the “I Want To Be” series has visual appeal but poor organization and a fuzzy focus, which limits its usefulness. Each double-paged layout introduces a new topic with six to eight full-color photographs and a single column of text. Topics include types of environmentalists, eco-issues, waste renewal, education, High School of Environmental Studies, environmental vocabulary, history of environmentalism, famous environmentalists, and the return of the eagle. Often the photographs have little to do with the text or are marginal to the topic. For example, a typical layout called “Some Alternative Solutions” has five snapshots superimposed on a double-page photograph of a California wind farm. The text discusses ways to develop alternative forms of energy and “encourage environmentally friendly lifestyles.” Photos include “a healer who treats a patient with alternative therapy using sound and massage,” and “the Castle,” a house built of “used tires and aluminum cans.” Elsewhere, “Did You Know . . . ” shows a dramatic photo of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, but the text provides odd facts such as “ . . . that in Saudi Arabia there are solar-powered pay phones in the desert?” Some sections seem stuck in, a two-page piece on the effects of “El Niño” or 50 postage-stamp–sized photos of endangered species. The author concludes with places to write for more information and a list of photo credits. Pretty, but little here to warrant purchase. (Nonfiction. 9-11)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-15-201862-X
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2000
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