What Linnaeus Saw: A Scientist's Quest to Name Every Living Thing

by Karen Magnuson Beil

In What Linnaeus Saw, Karen Magnuson Beil chronicles Linnaeus’s life and career in readable, relatable prose. As a boy, Linnaeus hated school and had little interest in taking up the religious profession his family had chosen. Though he struggled through Latin and theology classes, Linnaeus was an avid student of the natural world and explored the school’s gardens and woods, transfixed by the properties of different plants. At twenty-five, on a solo expedition to the Scandinavian Mountains, Linnaeus documented and described dozens of new species. As a medical student in Holland, he moved among leading scientific thinkers and had access to the best collections of plants and animals in Europe. What Linnaeus found was a world with no consistent system for describing and naming living things—a situation he methodically set about changing. The Linnaean system for classifying plants and animals, developed and refined over the course of his life, is the foundation of modern scientific taxonomy, and inspired and guided generations of scientists.


What Linnaeus Saw is rich with biographical anecdotes—from his attempt to identify a mysterious animal given him by the king to successfully growing a rare and exotic banana plant in Amsterdam to debunking stories of dragons and phoenixes. Thoroughly researched and generously illustrated, it offers a vivid and insightful glimpse into the life of one of modern science’s founding thinkers.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Biography, Middle Grade, History, Nature, Historical

256 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2019

Reviews

[Nancy Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was watching the latest episode of PBS's Poldark series and in one scene, a character mentions the latest scientific work being done by a man named Linnaeus. I knew what he was talking about! But I wouldn't have if I hadn't just read this terrific book by Karen Magnuson Beil.

Ms. Beil follows the life of Carl Linnaeus, from his upbringing in Sweden through his quest as an adult to classify every living thing -- be they plants, animals or humans. She begins by describing Linnaeus's fascination with a creature that had been brought over from North America and gifted to Uppsala University, where Linnaeus taught. The mystery of what kind of animal it is extends through the entire first chapter -- it took tremendous will power not to skip to the end to find out what it was! And I'm not telling. Ms. Beil sprinkles mysteries like this throughout the book, which is a clever way to engage the reader.

The reader will come away with a simple explanation of Linnaeus's meticulous classification system. He divides all living things into genus and species to come up with a binomial (two-word) name, using Latin and Latinized Greek words. Genus, Ms. Beil explains, is like a person's last name. Species is like a first name. With this system, he codified scientific names at a time when scientists were all coming up with their own quirky names for the same plants and animals. And what an undertaking it was! Linnaeus classified 7,700 plant and 4,400 animal species over the course of his lifetime.

The book has illustrations, graphics and sidebars to help the reader understand Linnaeus's life, the knowledge and beliefs of the time, and his classification system. In addition to challenging scientific beliefs, Linnaeus called into question strongly held and rarely challenged religious dogmas. Can species really change over time? Or was everything that exists made by God at the moment of Creation? Is the use of sexual language to describe the procreation of species scandalous, perhaps even criminal? Are humans related to animals or are they an entirely different, and wholly superior, creature? Sometimes, Linnaeus appeared willing to challenge these beliefs, sometimes he seemed to back off. Maybe it was better for his longevity to remain quiet!

I know how difficult it is to take a complicated topic like taxonomy and make it come alive for the young reader. Even as an adult, I need simple, clear language. And, as with any nonfiction book, I become more invested in a topic if it is presented through the lives of the people at the center of the story. People are endlessly fascinating! Ms. Beil has written a compelling story about Carl Linnaeus for readers of any age. At a time when it seems there's nothing new for humanity to explore and discover, it's good to be reminded that frontiers of many kinds called to curious minds in earlier centuries.

[Peter Corrigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

What nice, random find at the local Community College library! A coffee-table quality book on glossy paper with superb reproductions of drawings, paintings, maps, charts, etc. Wish I owned a copy but probably pricey! Supposedly, this was a book written for Middle-school but with my scanty background in biology it was perfectly adequate for an introduction to the man, his work and it's lasting impact.

Carl Linnaeus born in 1707 Sweden to strict religious parents, his father was a pastor and he was expected to follow suit. But the book does a nice job explaining how he defied the intense pressure to conform and carved out a career as a naturalist. His early trip to far northern Sweden, then called Lapland (now Sápmi) was a critical period in his development.

It might be easy to look back and laugh at his ambition which was literally to provide scientific names for every living creature, a number he estimated at 40,000 in 1749. According to the author some 15,000 new species are found every year with 8.7 million total and only 1.9 million named. So yeah, he underestimated. His original opus, Systema Naturae (the system of nature) was published in 1735, but it was revised a dozen times and expanded from 11 to over 2,000 pages in the final 1768 version. The reprint of his original chart of the animal kingdom is shown on page pp, 112-113 and would make really cool wall chart! He invented lots of neat things, like index cards (p.149) and the symbols for male and female (iron and copper). Related more to my own areas of interest, he was a contemporary and friend with Anders Celsius who in 1742 proposed (an inverted form) the centigrade temperature scale, which was later renamed the Celsius scale in his honor. Linnaeus was also an early proponent of dendrochronology using tree-rings to correlate growth patterns with periods of drought.

There is also a nice concluding section on a dozen of his students ('apostles') that he influenced and their travels and accomplishments. Two of them (Daniel Solander and Anders Sparrman, respectively) were aboard the first and second expeditions of James Cook.

Overall 3.5 stars, rounded up for the superb physical quality of the book. Can't get that on a Kindle!

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, but of course I am a career biologist. I picked it up because Linnaeus has always been a favorite of mine. This book chronicles his life with lots of life details and emphasis on his development of the taxonomic system. It is very well written and keeps the reader's interest. I became even more engrossed in the story when it got to the last few chapters that describe his role as professor/patron of his many students. Throughout the book you become acquainted with many people for whom Linnaeus named plants and animals. I can hardly believe I found this book in the juvenile section of the library. It is a book that would greatly benefit adult readers of science/biography. Great book.

[Danielle Wood · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a pretty interesting biography. Even people who don’t particularly care for science could read and enjoy this. I didn’t know the history of taxonomy, although I learned it in high school and college biology. This would be a nice book to pair with that unit at school. My ARC didn’t have the pictures and I think that would have helped me enjoy it more.

[Gina Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this to consider using it as a free read substitute for an out of print book about Linnaeus for my AmblesideOnline year 7 student. I’m still undecided if I’ll have her read it or not. It wasn’t a difficult read at all and it was relatively interesting but for some reason I can’t put my finger on I just didn’t love it. I might try and read the out of print one they recommend on Gutenberg and see how much better is it than this one.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even the non-botany-inclined can enjoy this book.
It skips over the botany-speak in favor of easy explanations even I could understand (and that's saying something!). For example, a rhizome is a "type of underground stem". Why can't other plant books be so clear?!
But the real story here isn't the plants. It's the man who loved to make lists who found a way to organize and name every living thing. Props to Karen Magnuson Beil for offering up this worthy memorial to a pretty neat man!

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining and intriguing biography of a man who definitely changed the world and isn't as known for it as he should be.

[Jeremy Bonnette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been reading this one a little here and a little there for several months. It is interesting account of how Linnaeus created the classification system that we use in science.

3.8 out of 5 stars

[Georgia Luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Award: 2020 CBHL Award of Excellence in Children and Young Adult Literature

Book Review:
Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) was responsible for developing a method for classifying and naming plants and animals that remains in use today.

Linnaeus, born in Sweden, was an indifferent student, showing a complete lack of enthusiasm for the career in the ministry his parents intended he follow. It was nature that sparked his interest and eventually drove his future path to become a physician and, more importantly, a naturalist and influential college professor who inspired many of the next generation of scientists. It had been clear to Linnaeus from his youth that the study of the natural world badly needed a uniform method for organizing discoveries. After examining several existing methods, all of them significantly flawed, Linnaeus used his thorough understanding of nature to craft logical methods of classification and naming. They were quickly recognized by many European scientists as inspired methods for managing the complexity of the natural world, coming at a critical time when European explorations were resulting in myriad discoveries new to them. Beil’s enthusiastic exploration of what could have been a dry and tedious topic is instead a highly engaging and entertaining page-turning presentation further enlivened with numerous period illustrations that perfectly accompany comprehensively researched text. Excellent backmatter rounds out this fine effort.

An outstanding biography of a brilliant and fascinating man who is well worth the attention. (Biography. 10-16)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-324-00468-4
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Norton Young Readers
Review Posted Online: July 24, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2019

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...

My Summary & Review:

"What Linnaeus Saw" is about the life of Carl Linnaeus. As a boy, he grew up helping his dad in the family garden. Since he was the oldest son, he was destined to be a clergyman (this was a popular tradition during this time). However, due to poor grades at school, as well as his love for botany, he never became a clergyman. He begins tutoring with Dr. Johan Rothman in botany and medicine in 1726. He decides to become a doctor and transfers to Uppsala University where he flourishes. He meets Peter Artedi and they decide that they need to categorize all plants and animals. At this time in history, science doesn't have any type of system to name animals and plants. The friends saw a need to recognize patterns in living things and find a way to uniformly name them all. An animal or plant could have ten different names and sometimes more, depending on where it was being talked about. They made a pact to catalog everything regardless of how long it took. Linnaeus was able to see patterns and had a knack for organizing massive amounts of information. He took fastidious notes on every plant and animal he came in contact with. The friends organized expeditions and sent students all over the world trying to come up with a uniform system of identification. Unfortunately, Peter Artedi died young; however, Linnaeus continued the extensive work they began together. His curiosity and tenacity helped him develop a taxonomy system that is still used today.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was interesting to me to see how early scientists worked. The amount of time and record keeping to uniformly name living things is amazing. The hardship that these pioneers faced to travel and gather information is incredible. My favorite quote from this book: "Just as a librarian helps writers and readers find what they need by organizing books; taxonomists help us see patterns in nature's bigger picture by organizing species. The librarian's work is necessary for literature. Taxonomy is necessary for natural science (page 226)."

Curriculum/Unit Study:

This book could be used to help explain to students how early scientists had to work. Expeditions were dangerous and some explorers didn't return back home. Trying to have uniform names for all the plants and animals was a daunting task. This book could be used in the science classroom to show how the scientific method that we use today works. This book could also be recommended to students who prefer to read non-fiction over fictional books.

Intended Grade Level Range: 6th-9th grade

Tags: Biography, Young Adult, Non-Fiction, Historical, Taxonomy, Botany, Science, Family, Friendship,

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

What Linnaeus Saw: A Scientist’s Quest to Name and Catalog Every Living Thing by Karen Magnusson Bell is an engaging YA biography that does a nice job of placing Linnaeus in scientific, historic, and cultural context. Bell explains the chaos that permeated the naturist world in terms of naming and identifying plants and animals, and shows how Linnaeus methodically and over more years than probably most think, shepherded the field into a more coherent and cohesive, as well as precise, discipline.

A story of taxonomy and categorization, especially one centered on a lot of long Latin names could have been deadly dull, but Bell does a good job of giving Linnaeus a sense of personality as well as sharing enough of his personal adventures/explorations to mitigate any such concern. Some of these are both informative and entertaining, as when she discusses how he wrestled with all the falsely claimed (some intentional, some not) “animals” out in the world, such as the “Seven-Headed Hydra of Hamburg. Others gain heightened interest from their controversial nature, as for instance how he decided where to place human in his classification (even considering them “animals” was controversial enough for some).

One of the strongest aspects of Bell’s book is how science is shown as a perpetual work in progress, as we see Linnaeus spending decades building upon his work, correcting previous mistakes, and making new ones. The march is always forward but never entirely so—it comes with lots of false detours and backward slides and dead ends and we see all of that here. In that same vein, one of my favorite sections was toward the end when Bell shows how Linnaeus inspired and often personally directed younger scientists, students of his, as they went out into the wide world and expanded/corrected his findings (many risking their lives to do so and some giving their lives).

One person’s “Golden Age of Exploration” of course is another person’s “Hell of Imperialism/Colonialism” and Bell doesn’t shy away from pointing this out, sometimes broadly and sometimes specifically, as when the book points to how during Linnaeus’ journeys amongst the Sami he “showed great sympathy . . . yet at other times his journal entries sounded patronizing and condescending . . . he never identified by name any of the Sami people who helped him.” Somewhat similarly, Bell makes sure to make evident the contributions of women to the field as well, such as Jane Colden, “America’s first female botanist” or Lady Anne Monson.

What Linnaeus Saw moves along smoothly and quickly and always clearly. I’ll also note that it appears to be liberally enhanced by a multitude of images which unfortunately my advance copy did not show. I imagine based on their titles and associated text however that they add greatly to the reading experience.

[Kirsten Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grabbed this title in an Audible sale a few months ago, as Linneaus is a figure I had on my list to read about this year with my 12 year old.

This recent biography of Linneaus, the father of modern biological classification, does a good job covering Linnaeus's life and career. From his early years growing up struggling with Latin and Theology classes to his struggles to find opportunities to study that which he truly loved, to his lifelong scientific studies of plants, Beil's narrative kept us interested.

Linneaus is an interesting figure who in one part fits an older mold of a scientist who deeply believed in God and viewed the world though the lens of a creator God, and in another part is studying the natural world around him and coming to conclusions that don't always line up with the religious ideas he had been taught. While later evolutionary ideas are mentioned (especially in terms of the controversial idea that Linneaus introduced of classifying humans among the animals), the author doesn't try to unnecessarily shoehorn Linneaus into later theories, and instead presents him fairly as a man of faith who was also willing to question religious ideas in light of the scientific evidence he saw.

I appreciated that this book brought some modern context to Linneaus (mentioning, for example, that he was sometimes patronizing in his descriptions of indigenous people and didn't get them credit by name when he was helped greatly in his expeditions) without judging him and his student by fully modern standards, as modern non-fiction books sometimes do when looking back on subjects who lived during the colonial era.

There are a few vintage biographies out there about Linneaus, and while I haven't read any to make a comparison, I think this modern biography is a great choice if you are looking for an audiobook or an easily-available/in print biography of him.

[D · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very well-written. I did not know the story behind Carl Linnaeus prior to reading this besides the fact that he was the gentleman who categorized as many living organisms as he could before his death, and taught his followers how to continue to do so. I was amazed at how much he accomplished during his 70 years of life. Back then, that was definitely a healthy ripe old age that many were unable to live, so it makes me wonder if he would have lived until nearly 100 if he had been born today. I was fascinated with all the connections he made, and progress that happened even after he had passed. To know that one of his apostles had been responsible for the Slavery Abolition Act was heartwarming, indeed. I was also amazed and humbled how his faith in God helped him prove scientific theories as real. Sometimes scientists want to use Science as a way to discredit God, but Linnaeus was the total opposite, so for that one fact alone I will always have an appreciative place in my heart for him. His accomplishments during his lifetime were many. Linnaeus was an inspirational character long before he was schooled. He hated his Lower Grammar School, and would "cut" school to go outdoors with a notebook to document the similarities and differences of different organisms. Fortunately, Johan Rothman, unlike his teachers, saw that Carl had amazing potential, encouraged him to study medicine, and was the first person in Carl's journey to guide him into the amazing life he led. If you want to know more, get the book. It is amazing. It is also a great teaching tool in middle and high school. The end of the book also has a detailed timeline for review, to reinforce that major points were not missed by the reader, and then a scientific glossary. If you love Science, inspiration, God, nature, or the enduring human spirit, this is YOUR BOOK!

[Anita Ojeda · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’ve ever wondered why living things have the names they have, this book will answer your question. In fact, I would have enjoyed biology class in high school a lot more if I could have read this book first.

During the period of great scientific exploration and interest (in the 18th century), scientists, collectors, and newly formed scientific societies had one common difficulty. Keeping track of and naming the myriad samples they collected of plants, animals, rocks, and minerals.

As a young boy, Carl Linnaeus hated school, did poorly in his Latin class, and had no desire to follow in his father’s footsteps as a clergyman. Instead, the natural world fascinated him. Going against his family’s wishes, he studied botany and physiology, hoping to one day earn a living as a physician. His knack for organization, enthusiasm for his subject, and ability to ask the right kinds of questions earned him influential mentors and friends all over Europe.

His passion for understanding nature and identifying relationships between different species led him to create a modern form of classification for all things—one that we still use as our framework for talking about nature to this day.

Although Linnaeus struggled in school (his reputation as a rule-breaker sometimes made school difficult for him), his passion for organizing what he saw turned him into a rule-maker.

Young readers will relate to the struggles of someone who doesn’t do well in traditional schools. The publishers list the interest level as 5th-12th grade. The reading level seems high for a typical 5th-grade student.

This book would make the perfect gift for any science aficionado—regardless of age.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me over a year to finally read this book. It was not because it was boring or that the year of COVID had me otherwise engaged, but rather because it was so fascinating that I didn't ever want to finish it. I don't know why the book was classified as a Children's Biography in our library. It is by no means written in that manner. Yes, it is educational and the writing encourages want-to-be biologists/"natural philosophers"—the description used to describe Linnaeus' work in the 1700s, prior to there being the word "scientist." Principally, the author makes the subject approachable without dumbing it down. It is truly engrossing and paints a picture of what life was like in the world, not just in Sweden, during the 1700s. The focus is on Linnaeus and his male counterparts, yet the author brings in touches of the females who were also in his world—not that there were many. (I would like to learn more about those females of the time, although I suspect that as HIStory goes, there isn't much to glean from the 1700s to make an accurate history.)

The author doesn't put Linnaeus on a pedestal. She is honest about what she has found in the historical record, the positive and negative. You truly get a sense of the life of this man. I learned so much about the range of his research and his personal approach to the vast world he explored—literally and subject-wise. Even though the book was a library loan, I want to purchase a copy so I can revisit it later on a whim. It is a book that is worthy of holding a long-term place on the bookshelf!

[Catherine Allibert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Je ne lis quasiment jamais des livres documentaires. Ici j'ai été intriguée par le thème. Comment nommer la faune et la flore ? J'ai timidement ouvert le livre... J'avoue que j'avais un peu peur de tomber sur des explications alambiquées et ennuyeuses... Là, Karen Magnuson Beil nous invite dans une fabuleuse aventure. Nous voici dans les années 1700 et nous suivons les questionnements de cette homme de science, Carl Linnaeus. Voyages, réflexions, anecdotes, ce livre fait un bien fou ! Une vraie quête pleine de rebondissements. Et les illustrations ! Un plaisir des yeux, touchantes par leur authenticité et leur ancienneté, et aussi parfois leur naïveté. Ce livre nous rappelle aussi notre condition d'être humain en constante évolution, repoussant chaque jour un peu plus les limites de ses connaissances. Et en ces temps incertains, où nous ne savons pas trop ce qui nous tombe sur la tête, il donne finalement beaucoup d'espoir. Car il montre le chemin que nous avons parcouru depuis ce cher Linnaeus.

[Clarissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really enjoyable read. Linnaeus was an interesting man, and the book was very readable. Linnaeus is the man who invented the system by which animals, plants and minerals are organized and named by science. There have been changes since Linnaeus came up with his system, but much of it is still used. Many of the thousands of Latin scientific names that he created are also still being used today. Linnaeus also promoted the idea that plants reproduce sexually. This was a scandalous theory at the time.

The book is a quick read focusing on interesting highlights of Linnaeus’s life. His exciting travels in Lapland, and various other amusing incidents. This is a good choice for anyone interested in science or the history of science.

[Christine Bishop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved It!

I knew little about Linnaeus and welcomed this fascinating book. His early life was captivating and his later incredible contributions to science were thrilling. I had no idea for instance that he created the terms primates and mammals for his system and realized that humans were descended from apes and that was in the 1750s. Karen Magnuson Biel did a marvelous job in bringing to life this man whose work revolutionized science.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

The nice thing about this book is that you don’t need straight A’s in biology to read it. It is an interesting look at life and scientific thought through the 18th century. I thought the author spent the right amount of time telling the story with the right amount of detail however, by the time I got to the end I was ready for it to be over. I just didn’t find it as interesting as I thought I would.

[Abigail Werner · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is captivating to read about how the bullied and children made fun of in school really had amazing minds that made them able to see things in a different way than how everyone else saw that thing. Linnaeus was no exception. This is a very scientific book that focuses on the classification system. I read this book during high school for my home school program and really enjoyed it.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating introduction to Linnaeus and his work. I'm not sure how many kids/teens will sit down and read this one, but you can bet I will be booktalking it! The right individuals will be very intrigued.

[Iris Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never been very interested in science and biology, so this book really surprised me in how relatable I found Carl Linnaeus' s story. He had a good sense of humor, and was very prideful to the extent of arrogance which really made him feel more real to me in reading this book.

[Shauna Yusko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Want to see final copy but like what I’m seeing.

[Mills College Library]

508.092 L758Xb 2019

[(Sam) Jolyon · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful biography! I know that many young people with an interest in science and history would love this book.

[Kristina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. Ok. Was cool to see how his system evolved.

[Yvonne Lacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting.

This book showed how both Linnaeus and his students had such an impact on the world in many expected and unexpected ways. Linnaeus' students went all the world to discover new species of plants and animals. Linnaeus was acquainted with other famous contemporary people such as Benjamin Franklin too.

It was also kind of funny at times. Linnaeus used lewd, socially inappropriate but apt analogies for plant reproduction. This sometimes led to conflict with others. For example, one Russian guy disapproved of Linnaeus' lewd analogies. In response, Linnaeus insulted the Russian guy by writing an offensive message in Latin on a seed packet and sending it to the Russian guy.

[Anne-Marie]

I liked it. I wanted to read it before we started it for school. I reccomend not just handing it to a kid who is not a mature reader. I will likely read parts to my kiddos.

[Alexis Kaelin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun little jaunt. Not much has been written recently about Linnaeus and this little book was a welcome welcome surprise.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enlightening and well written. Used for school and enjoyed reading and discussing with my daughter.