greatest books in literature image
Brad H
My favorite scientist writing popular literature is Richard Dawkins, who's absolutely brilliant. That said, Gould had a bigger following, but since his death, I'm not sure that anyone is really filling that niche well. Sagan was great in his day, but again... I'm not thrilled by the other physicists writing these days.
I love to read, so feel free to throw in suggestions of books with your author names! And I don't care what branch of science... just looking for great books and writers. Thanks!
Answer
I like Richard Dawkins too. Also Steve Jones, and Richard Feynman.
However, another question has just reminded me of my greatest favourite. He was Jean Henri Fabre, the famous 19th century French naturalist.
Fabre did a great deal of the early research on the behaviour of insects, especially bees, wasps and ants. He described his discoveries brilliantly -- his books are beautifully written and fascinating. He described his original research in a way that anyone could understand and enjoy, and a lot of modern scientists could learn a lot from him. They always include little details about his life as a schoolteacher, his childhood, the life of the village, and the places he found the insects -- but this does not interfere with his descriptions of clear hard scientific discovery. There are very many insects named by or after him -- like Karl Linne he gets his own official abbreviation after ones he named: appropriately "Fab.".
He wrote in French (and also sometimes Provencal, the southern French dialect), but his books were translated into English -- mostly by the splendidly named Alexander Teixiera de Mattos who himself wrote beautiful English.
If you get the chance to read any of Fabre's writing, make the most of it. I think the most widely available book is one just called "Insects" -- particularly nicely illustrated by Stephen Lee (published by Paul Elek in 1979).
I like Richard Dawkins too. Also Steve Jones, and Richard Feynman.
However, another question has just reminded me of my greatest favourite. He was Jean Henri Fabre, the famous 19th century French naturalist.
Fabre did a great deal of the early research on the behaviour of insects, especially bees, wasps and ants. He described his discoveries brilliantly -- his books are beautifully written and fascinating. He described his original research in a way that anyone could understand and enjoy, and a lot of modern scientists could learn a lot from him. They always include little details about his life as a schoolteacher, his childhood, the life of the village, and the places he found the insects -- but this does not interfere with his descriptions of clear hard scientific discovery. There are very many insects named by or after him -- like Karl Linne he gets his own official abbreviation after ones he named: appropriately "Fab.".
He wrote in French (and also sometimes Provencal, the southern French dialect), but his books were translated into English -- mostly by the splendidly named Alexander Teixiera de Mattos who himself wrote beautiful English.
If you get the chance to read any of Fabre's writing, make the most of it. I think the most widely available book is one just called "Insects" -- particularly nicely illustrated by Stephen Lee (published by Paul Elek in 1979).
What does it mean to be a piece of literature?
Matt H
I read a lot of teen books, like teen spy books or fantasy. But what does it mean to be a piece of literature? Are all books literature? I'm guessing alex rider or CHERUB is not. But I have read books like Pud n' Head Wilson by Mark Twain, and the book thief by Mark Zusak. Is that literature? Or is Harry Potter?
Answer
It's like saying that something is a "work of art". Literature is the ART of written work, so it is when books are written to entertain, and are successful in doing so. E.g. Great Expectations is literature because it is well known and is deemed artistic.
It's like saying that something is a "work of art". Literature is the ART of written work, so it is when books are written to entertain, and are successful in doing so. E.g. Great Expectations is literature because it is well known and is deemed artistic.
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