Galileo: The Genius Who Faced the Inquisition

World History Biographies

by Philip Steele

Galileo made the first effective use of the refracting telescope to discover important new facts about astronomy. His observations led him to support Copernicus's claim that Earth and the other planets circled the sun. This conflicted with the teachings of the Catholic Church, and brought Galileo before the judges of the Inquisition. He spent his final years under house arrest.

Galileo's genius lay in the way he approached scientific problems. He reduced problems to simple terms on the basis of experience and common-sense logic. Then he analyzed and resolved the problems according to simple mathematical descriptions, thus opening the way for the development of modern mathematical physics.

Genres: Biography, Science, History, Nonfiction

64 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Philip Steele was born in Dorking, Surrey, England. He attended University College, Durham, where he studied modern languages. In the 1970s he worked as an editor for various publishers, including Hodder and Hamlyn. In 1980 he moved to the Isle of Anglesey, in North Wales, where he now lives. He has written on a wide range of topics, especially in the fields of history, junior biography, peoples, and cultures.

Reviews

[Wara Diyari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Useful informations on Galileo, but not necessarily deep.

[Draco Sanguinis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Observamos datos curiosos de su vida, comenzando desde la infancia hasta los ultimos dias de su vida. Es interesante observar que una vida de grandes logros, se ve frenados por parte del poder religioso imperante de esa epoca.

[Wasi Rizvi · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a good introduction of Galileo for a child. However, facts sort of feel bombarded, without much connection, as a presentation of his life.

Cultural History is used very well.

[Charissa Dubin]

Galileo was a very intelligent young man who grew up in Italy. While his family wanted him to study medicine, his passion was for science, mechanics, and mathematics, and he eventually became a math professor. He was also an inventor; his study of mechanics lead him to invent a variety of new kinds of tools, the most notable being the refracting telescope. Galileo revolutionized science; he was one of the first people to use experimentation to establish knowledge instead of just using logic and speculation. His observations of the night sky led him to find that the astronomer Copernicus, who had been born one hundred years before Galileo was, had been right about the fact that the earth goes around the Sun. Galileo wrote books on this topic, which got him into major trouble with the Catholic Church. Official Church doctrine was that the universe was geocentric. Ultimately, Galileo was sentenced to house arrest.

Galileo: The Genius Who Faced the Inquisition is informative, though not terribly interesting. The format is reminiscent of an elementary school history textbook, which lots of little sections, pictures, and other visual aides. I wish it had gone deeper into the processes by which Galileo made his discoveries.

[Shelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Galileo, The Genius Who Faced the Inquisition, has a beautiful layout that is filled with interesting facts, photos, and a detailed timeline describing the life and work of Galileo Galilei. This book is perfect for intermediate ages students on up for a biography report or to expand their understanding on Galileo and the effects the Catholic church had on scientific advancement during this time in history.

[Keanan J.S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it in 1 day at my univ library. Quite moving and inspiring, didn't know he was actually friends with that many people of high status. I always though he was a quiet man without that many relations, who focused mostly only on his study.

[Andrea M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short biography with lots of photos! I like the visual format which allows me to learn about a famous person quickly.

[Ubalstecha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great biography aimed at the junior/intermediate set about the great thinker who dared to challenge conventional wisdom about how the universe worked. A must for the classroom library.

[Ishan Raj · Rating 3 out of 5]

nice to read it, made my mood refresh