Measuring the World: A Novel
by Daniel Kehlmann
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Read in January, 2008
recommended to Oceana2602 by:
FAZrecommends it for: everyone
Daniel Kehlmann's Measuring the World was one of my birthday presents last year, and I waited almost a year to finally read it. Even though it had been on my wishlist, when it suddenly sat there on my shelf, the idea of reading about pre-industrialization Germany, about Humboldt and Gauß, two boring old scientist, seemed rather dreadful.
I should have known better. Measuring the World is not a science book. It's not about two boring old men either, though it is about two old scientist. And t...more
I should have known better. Measuring the World is not a science book. It's not about two boring old men either, though it is about two old scientist. And t...more
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Erzählt werden zwei Geschichten, zwei Lebensläufe. Der eine von Alexander Hum-boldt, der andere Carl Friedrich Gauß. Einfach gegen einandergeschnitten werden die Lebensentwürfe dieser beiden Wissenschaftler nebeneinander gesetzt. Der Weg zum Ziel – so wohl die Grundaussage – ist unterschiedlich. Während Gauß kaum etwas von der Welt sieht und sich jeder Veränderung verweigert, reist Humboldt durch die Welt, kein Berg zu hoch, kein Fluß zu breit.
Während Gauß sich den Freuden der Li...more
Während Gauß sich den Freuden der Li...more
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I was a bit wary of this book going in, being that 1. it's a translation and 2. it's historical fiction. Sometimes those two things (especially combined ) mean that the book might be boring, poorly written and/or awkwardly translated. This book was none of those things. I can't say with certainty that all the jokes delivered in the English version (being as I didn't read the German), but it was funnier than most books I read in their original language, so that impressed me.
I must say though...more
I must say though...more
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Read in June, 2008
How does one measure the world? Daniel Kehlamnn's novel, Measuring the World offers diametrically opposed answers: one theoretical and one empirical. Representing the theory is mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss and representing the experimental is explorer Alexander von Humboldt.
Kehlmann alternates his narrative between Gauss's life and Humboldt's exploration of South America and into New Spain (modern day Mexico). Both men wish to describe the world as elegantly as possible. For Gauss that...more
Kehlmann alternates his narrative between Gauss's life and Humboldt's exploration of South America and into New Spain (modern day Mexico). Both men wish to describe the world as elegantly as possible. For Gauss that...more
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Read in April, 2008
Historical fiction that covers the Enlightenment projects of Alexander von Humboldt (world explorer and geographical legend) and Carl Friedrich Gauss (mathematician and astronomer). One spends his life bringing German science to bear on the world, the other explores the "inner world" without ever leaving Prussia and Hanover. The plot sounds gimmicky. Yet Kehlmann's prose makes it work. It breathes life into these difficult characters, these Wissenshaftsmenschen, while reflecting on...more
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Read in June, 2008
I haven't read the german version (cos I can't :D), but I think, the original version is much better than the English version. I found the English version a bit weird, and hard to understand at the beginning. Anyway the author had written it in a fancy and funny way, that made this book worth to read.
Measuring the World is a historical fiction about German scientists Alexander von Humboldt and Carl Friedrich Gauss.
The book narated about the life and adventure of each of them, how Humbol...more
Measuring the World is a historical fiction about German scientists Alexander von Humboldt and Carl Friedrich Gauss.
The book narated about the life and adventure of each of them, how Humbol...more
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Read in May, 2008
I read this one in the original German.
The author takes two giants of 18th - 19th century German science, the indefatigable naturalist and explorer Alexander von Humboldt and mathematical genius Carl Friedrich Gauß, and as a background has them meet at an academic conference in 1828 Berlin, towards the ends of their working lives. Much of the book however consists of many flashbacks of their lives and careers, highlighting their seemingly poles-apart fields of endeavor and the utterly diff...more
The author takes two giants of 18th - 19th century German science, the indefatigable naturalist and explorer Alexander von Humboldt and mathematical genius Carl Friedrich Gauß, and as a background has them meet at an academic conference in 1828 Berlin, towards the ends of their working lives. Much of the book however consists of many flashbacks of their lives and careers, highlighting their seemingly poles-apart fields of endeavor and the utterly diff...more
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Read in July, 2007
this book is utterly charming. both the scientists have an amazing intelligence and are yet so deficient in EQ! one wants to protect them, and at the same time is awed by them. it's a pleasure to read through the 19th century setting, and be an audience to the thoughts of Gauss...who predicts so many happenings with accuracy. it's also fascinating to see development of scientific thought, in a world which has still not seen the advent of scientific thought as we now know it.
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Read in October, 2006
recommended to Luci by:
Mama
Ein Buch komplett in indirekter Rede geschreiben - und ich habs beim ersten Mal lesen nicht mal gemerkt:-) Die Sprache ist super (die indirekte Rede so gut, dass das Buch sich in keiner Weise schwerfällig, sondern eher wunderbar einfach und lustig liest), der unterschwellige Humor auch...Eine Satire darauf, was es heißt Deutsch zu sein, gleichzeitig Gedanken über das Altern...
Eigentlich 4,5 Sterne wert.
Eigentlich 4,5 Sterne wert.
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Read in December, 2007
A fascinating look into the lives of two eighteenth century scientists. In some ways it was a pity that the story had been fictionalised, but it did bring the stories and personalities to life. Humboldt's exploration of South America was definitely page turning stuff, while Gauss' personal problems in Germany gave a real insight into life for the intellectual at that time. Well worth a read.
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Read in August, 2008
Great book so far. The original is in German (which I am of course reading), so I don't know how great the translation would be, but I would definitely suggest this to my fellow math geeks and anyone who enjoys travel because it basically follows the lives of Gauss and Humboldt. Both are quite interesting individuals and the way the author tells their stories is often quite humorous.
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An exploration of genius in the form of dueling fictionalized/elaborated biographies of two illustrious figures in German intellectual life: Carl Friedrich Gauß and Alexander von Humboldt. Lots of good bittersweet laughs and a playful yet lofty look at the dawn of the "new world." Available in English as "Measuring the World" translated by Carol Brown Janeway.
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Read in August, 2007
Really good book, although definitely slow. However, if you can get past the pace to appreciate the story, it's well worth it! Great example of new German novels - Latin American magical realism tinting German factualism (is that a word?). Humanist, maybe? At any rate, if you have a bit of time, I very much suggest exposing yourself to this new kind of novel!
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A huge success in Germany. For the life of me I can't figure out why. Which were more boring - the parts about Gauss, or the parts about Humboldt?
Trick question - they were equally soporific.
What in hell was the point of this book? if I hadn't been confined to an aeroplane, I'd never have finished it.
5 Yawns on the snoozometer.
Trick question - they were equally soporific.
What in hell was the point of this book? if I hadn't been confined to an aeroplane, I'd never have finished it.
5 Yawns on the snoozometer.
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Read in December, 2006
Definitely one of the best books I've read recently (in the historical fiction for history of science people category)...I wasn't sure where it was going at first, but the last chapter was superb. It's really about two different ways of looking at the world and what each of them gets and misses. The translation reads beautifully.
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another one of those books i enjoyed without quite knowing entirely why.
i am a great admirer of the 'quiet' tone. the slightly understated, not too verbose quality that some people so wonderfully embody. perhaps thats what i like about this one. apart from the casual references to the 'gracious gentleman' kant or goethe :)
i am a great admirer of the 'quiet' tone. the slightly understated, not too verbose quality that some people so wonderfully embody. perhaps thats what i like about this one. apart from the casual references to the 'gracious gentleman' kant or goethe :)
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Read in March, 2007
"a real example of the pitiful arbitrariness of existence <is> that you were born into a particular time and held prisoner there ... It gave you an indecent advantage over the past and made you a clown vis-a-vis the future."
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Sketching the lives of adventurer Humboldt and mathematician Gauss, Measuring the World not only depicts a long lost world but also explains how we now understand many things about our world. I greatly enjoyed the depth of the characters, showing their foibles in subtle ways. I just wish I had read the book in German.
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This book was surprisingly interesting considering the nerdiness of the premise. The descriptions of Humboldt in South America are truly wild and intriguing. I read this while on vacation in San Francisco, and I recommend it to anyone for vacation reading that is a solid several steps above beach reading.
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Read in June, 2007
Petualangan para ilmuwan itu membuat saya tertawa. Sebuah novel yang cerdas dari David Kehlmann. Bagaimana ambisi ekstrem Gauss dan Humboldt yang dilandasi ruh keingintahuan pada misteri alam semesta dijahit Kehlmann dengan menarik. ..emh seperti menonton sebuah film petualangan yang sarat humor.
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