E-grāmata: Hindsight and Popular Astronomy [World Scientific e-book]

How much did previous astronomers get correct? In an examination of nine books written from 1833 through 1944, Whiting (U. of Birmingham) explores this question. He provides a book review and occasional critique of writing style in reviewing these works written for a popular audience. Since it is necessary to consider some of the ideas themselves, three chapters are also interspersed that explain subjects like heat, light, the three bodies, or quanta and relativity. Solid understanding of mathematics is not necessary to understand this book, but it does require serious interest. The volume closes with a select bibliography. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

There are many books that endeavor to bridge the gap between scientists and laymen, yet too many overemphasize the presentation of scientific findings as hard facts and end up alienating readers from the critical thinking processes involved in science.Whiting attempts to break away from the norm in this revolutionary review of popular astronomy books written from 1833 to 1944. He examines these important works by acknowledged authorities in the field to see how they have stood the test of time. Where the luminaries have failed, he looks for clues that the layman reader could have used to raise doubts about what was being said. The aim of this highly accessible book is to develop tools for the non-scientist to evaluate the strange and marvelous results that astronomers report, in place of the highly-developed scientific and mathematical techniques available to the scientists themselves. A must-read for all science and astronomy enthusiasts.