Galileo's Daughter

GALILEO'S DAUGHTER: Dava Sobel: Walker & Co.: 1999: Nonfiction: 420 pages

Contrary to the title, this book is mainly about Galileo. Much information for the book however, came from letters that Suor Maria Celeste (Galileo’s eldest daughter) wrote to her father while she lived in a convent. Devoted to her father and his beliefs, she was his true supporter. There is a lot to be learned about 17^th century life from this book: how feared the bubonic plague was, the control the Pope had over literature and science, how many incredible inventions and discoveries made by Galileo we still use today. I listened to the Recorded Books audio version. George Guidall is a wonderful reader and kept my interest even through the extremely dry and slow parts. The insight on Galileo’s life and the times he lived in make this a worthwhile read to anyone who enjoys history. I strongly recommend the audio version.

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