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This book is a distinctively original biography of Galileo Galilei, probably the last eclectic genius of the Italian Renaissance, who was not only one of the greatest scientists ever, but also a philosopher, a theologian, and a man of great literary, musical, and artistic talent - "The Tuscan Artist", as the poet John Milton referred to him. Galileo was exceptional in simultaneously excelling in the Arts, Science, Philosophy, and Theology. These diverse aspects of his life were closely intertwined; indeed, it may be said that he personally demonstrated that human culture is not divisible, but rather one, with a thousand shades. Galileo also represented the bridge between two historical epochs. As the philosopher Tommaso Campanella, a contemporary of Galileo, recognized at the time, Galileo was responsible for ushering in a new age, the Modern Age. This book, which is exceptional in the completeness of its coverage, explores all aspects of the life of Galileo, as a Tuscan artist andgiant of the Renaissance, in a stimulating and reader-friendly way.
List of contents
Galileo's birth.- Music at the time of Vincenzio Galilei.- Vincenzio in Florence.- Galileo in Pisa.- A Novice in Monastery.- Challenging Zarlino.- Return to Pisa.- Galileo meeting Ostilio Ricci.- A young unemployed Mathematician.- Galileo as a literary critic.- Galileo's first approach to a new method.- Teaching in Pisa.- Galileo as a literary critic and writer.- The best eighteen years of his age.- A Tuscan artist in Padua.- The Nova Star.- A Sidereus Nuncius.- An artists' warning.- New projects.- Galileo superstar.- Vicisti Galilaee!.- Galileo as a mathematician and philosopher in Florence.- Galileo's triumph in Rome.- Converting the Church.- A theory of culture.- You cannot prevent humankind from looking at the stars: the Copernican Letters.- They silence him.- Three comets and an Assayer.- The censored masterpiece.- Will to live.- Galileo's Dialogues and music.- Galileo's last years.- The Enigma.
About the author
Pietro Greco is a science journalist and writer. He holds a degree in Chemistry and directed the Master in Science Communications program at SISSA. From 2006 to 2008, he was Advisor to the Ministry of Universities and Research. He is a famous speaker on the radio show Radio3 Scienza. Since 1987 he has collaborated with the newspaper L'Unità and, since 2007, with Greenreport.it online newspaper. He was co-author and scientific director of some television episodes of the program
Pulsar.Storia della scienza e della tecnica nel XX secolo, and
X Day, I grandi della scienza del Novecento, aired between 1999 and 2002. He is the author of numerous books including:
L'astro narrante (Springer)
L'universo a dondolo (Springer),
Galileo l'artista toscano (Springer 2014), and
La cultura si mangia! with Bruno Arpaia as co-author (Guanda 2013).
Additional text
“This new biography by Pietro Greco, an influential, well-known Italian science journalist and writer, emphasizes Galileo’s literary, musical, artistic, and poetic side, attributes that are usually bypassed. The result is a most enjoyable book, extremely thought-provoking and revealing, and offering a refreshingly new insight into Galileo’s character.” (David W. Hughes, The Observatory, Vol. 139 (1268), February, 2019)
“The book covers his whole life in comprehensive detail, starting from his birth in February 1564 (the same year as Shakespeare’s birth), and ending with his death in January 1642 just a few weeks short of his 78th birthday. … If you feel as I did, that there is a gap in your knowledge about thefull life of Galileo, then this book is recommended to you.” (Odyssey The e-Magazine of the British Interplanetary Society, 2018)
Report
"This new biography by Pietro Greco, an influential, well-known Italian science journalist and writer, emphasizes Galileo's literary, musical, artistic, and poetic side, attributes that are usually bypassed. The result is a most enjoyable book, extremely thought-provoking and revealing, and offering a refreshingly new insight into Galileo's character." (David W. Hughes, The Observatory, Vol. 139 (1268), February, 2019)
"The book covers his whole life in comprehensive detail, starting from his birth in February 1564 (the same year as Shakespeare's birth), and ending with his death in January 1642 just a few weeks short of his 78th birthday. ... If you feel as I did, that there is a gap in your knowledge about thefull life of Galileo, then this book is recommended to you." (Odyssey The e-Magazine of the British Interplanetary Society, 2018)
