The Barnes & Noble.com Review
At the turn of the 20th century, Kirstian Birkeland, a brilliant Norwegian physicist, undertook several e... read full description
At the turn of the 20th century, Kirstian Birkeland, a brilliant Norwegian physicist, undertook several e... read full description
reviews
Nov 29, 2011
William Herschel
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Lucy Jago's book, Northern Lights, begins with adventure. Birkeland and a group of hand-chosen colleagues are in the arctic, going up a mountain to get to the shelter of their observation/research house. Their mission is to study the aurora borealis.
Surprisingly, this wasn't a classic arctic adventure story. Birkeland's first hand arctic expeditions pretty much end there. His fixation with the aurora borealis takes many turns, -- creating a cannon, creating furnaces for agriculture cri More...
Surprisingly, this wasn't a classic arctic adventure story. Birkeland's first hand arctic expeditions pretty much end there. His fixation with the aurora borealis takes many turns, -- creating a cannon, creating furnaces for agriculture cri More...
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Jan 30, 2008
Kay
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I am an avid reader of scientific history books (for non scientists), especially when, as is in the case of this book, there is a fascinating mystery at the heart of the story. The Northern Lights is the tale of one man's quest or obsession, if you will, to discover the cause of the eerie visual phenomenon of the title. Kristian Birkeland was a man who was more than a good fifty years ahead of his time, and of course he met with the classic resistance to ideas which did not fit in with the rei
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Aug 16, 2011
Lynn
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I do not remember why or when I got this book, I can only assume it was the cover that intrigued me. I really had no idea about the subject, and even less interest in it. That was before I read the book. Now that I have finished it, I am much more interested.
The book itself was a bit slow in places. I was sorry there was not more detail into the research that was done on the aurora borealis. There was plenty of description of the process of collecting the data, but very little of the More...
The book itself was a bit slow in places. I was sorry there was not more detail into the research that was done on the aurora borealis. There was plenty of description of the process of collecting the data, but very little of the More...
Jun 08, 2010
Andrea
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Just going through the Book Lover's Diary that I kept and I came across this gem of a book. I heard Lucy Jago being interviewed on CBC Radio and I knew that I had to read this book! This true life story is an inspiration to all who aspire to do anything with their lives. Jago writes with clarity and depth. This story makes me want to see the Auroras! I will purchase this book and reread it!
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Nov 17, 2009
Megan
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This book did a great job of reading as a novel, but it was non-fiction. I learned a lot about Norwegian history and a man who though alive during the time of a lot of great scientists - Einstein for one - didn't seem to make it into any of my history books. A well told, informative story. If you like to learn anyting about history or science or adventure, I think you'd like this book.
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May 09, 2011
Tazzypumpkin
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This book was excellent. Mostly a biography of Kristian Birkeland, the first to determine the cause of the northern lights. However, this was much more than just a biography. The writing was excellent and it was a page-turner.
Mar 03, 2010
Claire
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Nine months after finishing this book I still think about Birkeland's story frequently.
Jan 04, 2011
Brian
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good, interesting read with some unexpected historical info... very fascinating...
Dec 23, 2007
Brian
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A good account of a a purely scientific pursuit to explain a dazzling natural phenomenon during a time when the lines between the paranormal and science. the inclusion of society's fascination with mediums really helps take this story out of the cold realm (quite literallY) of science and provides a cultural context.
Good scientific story.
Good scientific story.
Dec 06, 2007
Lewis
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The story of Kristian Birkeland, the Norwegian scientist who worked out what caused the Northern Lights. This is a fascinating biography of Birkeland's extremely interesting life that's both well-written and informative. A definite recommendation to anyone interested in science or cosmology. Or Norway.
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May 09, 2011
Alana
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Interesting, but a little disorganized and the finish was a letdown. There were opportunities for exciting twists, but they just fell by the wayside for lots of uninteresting details. Still, subject matter was great.
Dec 31, 2011
Nisa
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Amazing book about Kristian Birkeland, goes into great detail about his life and other various projects. After reading this book, I'd consider him one of my favorite scientists. He went through quite a bit.
Aug 15, 2008
Christopher
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I've listened to the book several times on car trips and never grow tired of it. There is so much information about the age of scientfic enlightenment brought to life through masterful storytelling.
Jun 24, 2007
Susan
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I have always been interested in the Aurora Borealis. I could certainly appreciate the researchers that first studied the phenomenon. I'm just not sure if many would be interested in reading about it.
Apr 19, 2011
Shannon
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A fascinating read. Birkeland's intelligence, creativity, and devotion are incredible and the science behind the northern lights is very awe-inspiring.
Mar 30, 2008
Jim
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Birkeland is a tragically fascinating man enamored with the beauty of science and electromagnetism. Great read for Norway enthusiasts!
Dec 16, 2009
Emily
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A fascinating biography of the man who set out to determine the cause of the Aurora Borealis.
Feb 09, 2008
Amber
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I never knew how the research was done to learn about the northern lights.
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