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Scientist, Soldier, Statesman, Spy: Count Rumford, the Extrordinary Life of a Scientific Genius
International adventurer and inventor, whose life story sometimes reads stranger than fiction, Count Rumford has now found a superb modern biographer to rescue him from unjustified neglect. - ROY PORTER
...Brown nicely captures both the earnestness and eccentricity of the scientist who applied his science to himself...a beguiling account... - Times Higher Educational Supplement
President Roosevelt rated Count Rumford, along with Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, as 'the greatest mind America has produced' and, though his inventions and philanthropy, Rumford brought more benefit to mankind tan most men of his age. Yet, though knighted by George III, he was vilified by Cobbett, ridiculed by Gillray and Cruickshank, and died almost alone. What is the real story of Count Rumford? Was he an insufferable genius, who treated those with whom he worked with contempt? A philanthropist and scientist whose remarkable ability and versatility inspired envy and malice rather than admiration? A hypocrite and philanderer, whose spying activities were the public face of a man who would do anything to ensure his own success?
A spy for Britain during the American War of Independence, Rumford fled to England and became Under-Secretary of State. This was followed by a stint in Bavaria where he reformed the Army. His over-riding passion, however, was for science. He revolutionised ideas on the nature of heat and his inventions brought dramatic improvements to the masses. He also set up a workhouse for beggars; originated soup kitchens; and, most famously, made benevolence fashionable through the establishment of the Royal Institution in 1800.
A tale of adventure, intrigue, ambition and lust for life, this compelling biography recognizes Rumford's unique place in science history and unravels the story of this perplexing and complex man.
...Brown nicely captures both the earnestness and eccentricity of the scientist who applied his science to himself...a beguiling account... - Times Higher Educational Supplement
President Roosevelt rated Count Rumford, along with Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, as 'the greatest mind America has produced' and, though his inventions and philanthropy, Rumford brought more benefit to mankind tan most men of his age. Yet, though knighted by George III, he was vilified by Cobbett, ridiculed by Gillray and Cruickshank, and died almost alone. What is the real story of Count Rumford? Was he an insufferable genius, who treated those with whom he worked with contempt? A philanthropist and scientist whose remarkable ability and versatility inspired envy and malice rather than admiration? A hypocrite and philanderer, whose spying activities were the public face of a man who would do anything to ensure his own success?
A spy for Britain during the American War of Independence, Rumford fled to England and became Under-Secretary of State. This was followed by a stint in Bavaria where he reformed the Army. His over-riding passion, however, was for science. He revolutionised ideas on the nature of heat and his inventions brought dramatic improvements to the masses. He also set up a workhouse for beggars; originated soup kitchens; and, most famously, made benevolence fashionable through the establishment of the Royal Institution in 1800.
A tale of adventure, intrigue, ambition and lust for life, this compelling biography recognizes Rumford's unique place in science history and unravels the story of this perplexing and complex man.
182 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 29, 2023
Brought back many memories of college days and my chemistry class.
June 26, 2025
Super interesting story that manages to be written pretty boring. The book is only saved by detailed descriptions of the man's experiments
May 31, 2011
I was looking for a short, light piece of nonfiction to read on a long weekend; this was literally sitting right in front of me. It seems odd to recommend a book on its brevity, but I gotta say, this nails that requirement, and it's well-written too.
I also enjoyed reading this book because I learned a lot of new things from it. If I ever learned about Count Rumford in school, he completely escaped my notice. This guy was impressive, especially for his scientific contributions, and the humanitarian efforts that sprung from those. He did, for example, some very important experiments on the nature of heat, showing that it was caused by friction rather than the postulated invisible substance known as "caloric," and from the sound of it, he practically rebuilt Munich himself based on his theories of heating, lighting and nutrition: turning it from a cold, dark, hungry, gross late-18th-century slum into a warm, bright, well-fed, well-employed late-18th-century utopia, with the Elector Carl Theodore's stamp of approval. Anyone who enjoys reading about the discoveries of this time will not be disappointed here.
Those who have an interest in the political climate will also be in for some fun. The book paints him as an opportunist, apparently willing to spy for whoever was offering the good favors. Neither was he averse to puffing himself up -- even just through a fancy coat and horse -- to appear to be more important than what he might be at the time. Oh, the days before background checks, when anyone with sufficient cheek might insinuate themselves into high places! And not just for a single picture with Joe Biden, either. For life! And so you can see this man wander from America to England, and back and forth across Europe, during a very exciting period in history, enjoying the comforts of roughly one squillion mistresses and almost blowing himself up a few times along the way.
Count Rumford: One of History's Interesting But Largely Forgotten Weirdos.
I also enjoyed reading this book because I learned a lot of new things from it. If I ever learned about Count Rumford in school, he completely escaped my notice. This guy was impressive, especially for his scientific contributions, and the humanitarian efforts that sprung from those. He did, for example, some very important experiments on the nature of heat, showing that it was caused by friction rather than the postulated invisible substance known as "caloric," and from the sound of it, he practically rebuilt Munich himself based on his theories of heating, lighting and nutrition: turning it from a cold, dark, hungry, gross late-18th-century slum into a warm, bright, well-fed, well-employed late-18th-century utopia, with the Elector Carl Theodore's stamp of approval. Anyone who enjoys reading about the discoveries of this time will not be disappointed here.
Those who have an interest in the political climate will also be in for some fun. The book paints him as an opportunist, apparently willing to spy for whoever was offering the good favors. Neither was he averse to puffing himself up -- even just through a fancy coat and horse -- to appear to be more important than what he might be at the time. Oh, the days before background checks, when anyone with sufficient cheek might insinuate themselves into high places! And not just for a single picture with Joe Biden, either. For life! And so you can see this man wander from America to England, and back and forth across Europe, during a very exciting period in history, enjoying the comforts of roughly one squillion mistresses and almost blowing himself up a few times along the way.
Count Rumford: One of History's Interesting But Largely Forgotten Weirdos.
December 20, 2015
G.i. Brown makes a valiant effort to offer a fair biography of the brilliant Benjamin Thompson aka Count Rumford who reinvented himself many times as he travelled between America, England, Bavaria and Paris. It seems that Rumford was his own best admirer and promoter and that as such he could be very persuasive. However his intolerance for the views and ideas of others seem to have been directly responsible for many of the difficulties he faced. Yet Rumford was essentially a man who cared deeply about improving the lot of the ordinary person and many of his activities were intended to do just that. There may not be anything glamorous about improving chimneys and family stoves but such improvements must have made life for many immeasurably easier.
I feel sorry for Sarah, Rumford's daughter who, when he finally remembered about her dutifully crossed the Atlantic only to find a father who really wasn't that interested.
Like so many brilliant minds it seems likely that he lacked social understanding and tolerance yet was able to dazzle with his brilliance. Living or working with him, however seems to have been very difficult. It seems extra- ordinary that aged 50 or so he and Madame Lavoisier married, yet could not make the marriage work and divorced after only a year of marriage... Once again Sarah was summoned to cross the Atlantic to offer her father solace.... By the time she got here though he had found another comforter!
I feel sorry for Sarah, Rumford's daughter who, when he finally remembered about her dutifully crossed the Atlantic only to find a father who really wasn't that interested.
Like so many brilliant minds it seems likely that he lacked social understanding and tolerance yet was able to dazzle with his brilliance. Living or working with him, however seems to have been very difficult. It seems extra- ordinary that aged 50 or so he and Madame Lavoisier married, yet could not make the marriage work and divorced after only a year of marriage... Once again Sarah was summoned to cross the Atlantic to offer her father solace.... By the time she got here though he had found another comforter!
March 20, 2011
A fascinating character, a very gifted but quite cold man, an easy one to dislike--but one to whom the modern world owes much. This isn't giving me nearly enough information about the stuff I most want to know--it sketches, glosses, brushes over the parts that dazzle me most, sigh. More digging is in order. Yes, I do have 18th-Century espionage on the bwains. . . . .
August 25, 2012
A dryly written history, but a fascinating character. Rumford is always mentioned in the history of science, but there is a lot more to him than that.
It's a good history, and worth reading if you have any interest in the time or the science. But it's style is very dry and distant. I'd rate it much higher but for that.
It's a good history, and worth reading if you have any interest in the time or the science. But it's style is very dry and distant. I'd rate it much higher but for that.
March 15, 2012
Easy to read and highly informative. Well suited for the reader curious about progress with candle wicks, lamp brightness, fireplaces, percolators, work houses, soup kitchens and other inventions during the late 1700s and early 1800s. A man in the same league as Benjamin Franklin.
February 20, 2009
Interesting man, a totally player, and an a-hole to most people, but he did a lot of useful, humanitarian work.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews