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  • © 2018

Galileo Galilei, The Tuscan Artist

Authors:

  • Provides a very original biography of the pioneer of modern science
  • Covers all aspects: the scientific, the artistic, the philosophical, and the theological
  • Describes the cultural atmosphere in which modern science was born
  • Details the causes of the difficult relationships between modern science and the Catholic Church

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Table of contents (33 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-vii
  2. Galileo’s Birth

    • Pietro Greco
    Pages 1-6
  3. Vincenzio Galilei, the Father

    • Pietro Greco
    Pages 7-13
  4. Vincenzio in Florence

    • Pietro Greco
    Pages 15-19
  5. Galileo in Pisa

    • Pietro Greco
    Pages 21-23
  6. Novice in a Monastery

    • Pietro Greco
    Pages 25-29
  7. Challenging Zarlino

    • Pietro Greco
    Pages 31-36
  8. Going Back to Pisa

    • Pietro Greco
    Pages 37-45
  9. Meeting Ostilio Ricci

    • Pietro Greco
    Pages 47-55
  10. A Young Unemployed Mathematician

    • Pietro Greco
    Pages 57-62
  11. Galileo a Literary Critic

    • Pietro Greco
    Pages 63-69
  12. Music and a New Method

    • Pietro Greco
    Pages 71-76
  13. Professor in Pisa

    • Pietro Greco
    Pages 77-86
  14. Galileo a Writer

    • Pietro Greco
    Pages 87-96
  15. The Best Years of His Life

    • Pietro Greco
    Pages 97-111
  16. A Tuscan Artist in Padua

    • Pietro Greco
    Pages 113-119
  17. The Nova Star

    • Pietro Greco
    Pages 121-131
  18. A Stellar Announcement

    • Pietro Greco
    Pages 133-147
  19. The Message of an Artist

    • Pietro Greco
    Pages 149-157
  20. New Projects

    • Pietro Greco
    Pages 159-163

About this book

This book is a distinctively original biography of Galileo Galilei, probably the last eclectic genius of the Italian Renaissance, who was not only one of the greatest scientists ever, but also a philosopher, a theologian, and a man of great literary, musical, and artistic talent – “The Tuscan Artist”, as the poet John Milton referred to him. Galileo was exceptional in simultaneously excelling in the Arts, Science, Philosophy, and Theology. These diverse aspects of his life were closely intertwined; indeed, it may be said that he personally demonstrated that human culture is not divisible, but rather one, with a thousand shades. Galileo also represented the bridge between two historical epochs. As the philosopher Tommaso Campanella, a contemporary of Galileo, recognized at the time, Galileo was responsible for ushering in a new age, the Modern Age. This book, which is exceptional in the completeness of its coverage, explores all aspects of the life of Galileo, as a Tuscan artist andgiant of the Renaissance, in a stimulating and reader-friendly way.

Reviews

“This new biography by Pietro Greco, an influential, well-known Italian science journalist and writer, emphasizes Galileo’s literary, musical, artistic, and poetic side, attributes that are usually bypassed. The result is a most enjoyable book, extremely thought-provoking and revealing, and offering a refreshingly new insight into Galileo’s character.” (David W. Hughes, The Observatory, Vol. 139 (1268), February, 2019)


“The book covers his whole life in comprehensive detail, starting from his birth in February 1564 (the same year as Shakespeare’s birth), and ending with his death in January 1642 just a few weeks short of his 78th birthday. … If you feel as I did, that there is a gap in your knowledge about thefull life of Galileo, then this book is recommended to you.” (Odyssey The e-Magazine of the British Interplanetary Society, 2018)

Authors and Affiliations

  • Centro Studi, Fondazione IDIS-Città della Scienza, Naples, Italy

    Pietro Greco

About the author

Pietro Greco is a science journalist and writer. He holds a degree in Chemistry and directed the Master in Science Communications program at SISSA. From 2006 to 2008, he was Advisor to the Ministry of Universities and Research. He is a famous speaker on the radio show Radio3 Scienza. Since 1987 he has collaborated with the newspaper L'Unità and, since 2007, with Greenreport.it online newspaper. He was co-author and scientific director of some television episodes of the program Pulsar. Storia della scienza e della tecnica nel XX secolo, and X Day, I grandi della scienza del Novecento, aired between 1999 and 2002. He is the author of numerous books including: L'astro narrante (Springer) L'universo a dondolo (Springer), Galileo l'artista toscano (Springer 2014), and La cultura si mangia! with Bruno Arpaia as co-author (Guanda 2013).

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 34.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 44.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 44.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access