Scan barcode
bluestarfish's review
4.0
This was my very faithful commuting companion, and part of the reason I took so long to read it. It was amazing to read about just how much these men were involved in and about a time where it was alright to be interested in absolutely everything! It was also interesting to read about the Dissenters and the London-Birmingham dynamic, and about all the inventions from soda water to steam engines... Busy, busy men.
david_r_grigg's review
5.0
I am fascinated by the history of science and technology, and I found this long and very thoroughly researched book to be a real treat. I hadn’t realised until reading it how closely the leading lights of British science and industry were connected to each other in the late 1700s.
But close they were, and often met monthly in an informal association called the Lunar Society (because they met on nights with a full moon).
Just a list of those who came to those meetings is almost sufficient to show what an immensely talented group they were, and how much they influenced the development of technology and knowledge in that period:
ERASMUS DARWIN, grandfather of Charles Darwin, but also a hugely important figure in the intellectual world of the time. A practising medical doctor, who also made many inventions and wrote several long descriptions of the natural world in the form of poetry. His views on evolution weren’t as well grounded as those of his more famous grandson, but were nevertheless very advanced for his time.
JOSIAH WEDGEWOOD, famous for his creation of beautiful English ceramics, but also as I found out from this book, a major force in the establishment of Britain’s network of navigiable canals. His interest in developing canals came from the fact that he was sick of his beautiful pottery being broken when being transported over the terrible unmade roads of the time. On the smooth waters of a canal, his precious cargos would be far more likely to survive the journey.
JAMES WATT of steam engine fame. Watt didn’t by any means invent the first steam engine, but he developed many significant improvements which greatly increased their efficiency and power, as well as making smaller engines possible. Initially only used in mining, Watt’s more efficient engines eventually saw use in the early textile industry in Britain, which made use of his engines to drive the powered looms in factories.
MATTHEW BOULTON, prominent in manufacturing, and for a long time Watt’s business partner. I get the impression that Boulton was the optimistic, outgoing character in the partnership compared with Watt. Without Boulton, Watt may never have achieved any success.
JOSEPH PRIESTLY the chemist, the first person to isolate the gas oxygen (though he clung to the old ‘phlogiston’ theory and so called it ‘de-phlogisticated air’). I also discovered from this book that he was a prominent preacher with radical views. So radical that eventually his house and laboratory were destroyed by a mob and he eventually left England for the Americas.
As well as these five, there were at least seven other men prominent in the Lunar Society over the years. Alas, they were all men, but their wives, sisters and daughters also played their part in the intellectual ferment of the time, and it is interesting that most of these men seemed very willing, even eager, to have their daughters as well as their sons educated.
The closeness of the relationships between these people may be indicated by the fact that Erasmus Darwin’s son married a Wedgwood daughter, and one of their sons was the more familiar Charles Darwin of evolutionary reknown.
A very interesting book, but I do need to say that I found it a difficult read as an ebook, mainly because there are so many characters and so many of their friends, acquaintances and relations mentioned that I did often find it difficult to remember who everyone was. I almost needed a ‘cheat-sheet’ or a ‘dramatis personae’ by my side. It would have been easier to cope with a paper book, I think, in that it’s very easy with a physical book to flip back and forth to scan for forgotten names and passages. So much so that, even though I now own the ebook, I think I’ll go looking for a paper copy to put on my shelf.
Highly recommended if you are at all interested in the history of technology.
But close they were, and often met monthly in an informal association called the Lunar Society (because they met on nights with a full moon).
Just a list of those who came to those meetings is almost sufficient to show what an immensely talented group they were, and how much they influenced the development of technology and knowledge in that period:
ERASMUS DARWIN, grandfather of Charles Darwin, but also a hugely important figure in the intellectual world of the time. A practising medical doctor, who also made many inventions and wrote several long descriptions of the natural world in the form of poetry. His views on evolution weren’t as well grounded as those of his more famous grandson, but were nevertheless very advanced for his time.
JOSIAH WEDGEWOOD, famous for his creation of beautiful English ceramics, but also as I found out from this book, a major force in the establishment of Britain’s network of navigiable canals. His interest in developing canals came from the fact that he was sick of his beautiful pottery being broken when being transported over the terrible unmade roads of the time. On the smooth waters of a canal, his precious cargos would be far more likely to survive the journey.
JAMES WATT of steam engine fame. Watt didn’t by any means invent the first steam engine, but he developed many significant improvements which greatly increased their efficiency and power, as well as making smaller engines possible. Initially only used in mining, Watt’s more efficient engines eventually saw use in the early textile industry in Britain, which made use of his engines to drive the powered looms in factories.
MATTHEW BOULTON, prominent in manufacturing, and for a long time Watt’s business partner. I get the impression that Boulton was the optimistic, outgoing character in the partnership compared with Watt. Without Boulton, Watt may never have achieved any success.
JOSEPH PRIESTLY the chemist, the first person to isolate the gas oxygen (though he clung to the old ‘phlogiston’ theory and so called it ‘de-phlogisticated air’). I also discovered from this book that he was a prominent preacher with radical views. So radical that eventually his house and laboratory were destroyed by a mob and he eventually left England for the Americas.
As well as these five, there were at least seven other men prominent in the Lunar Society over the years. Alas, they were all men, but their wives, sisters and daughters also played their part in the intellectual ferment of the time, and it is interesting that most of these men seemed very willing, even eager, to have their daughters as well as their sons educated.
The closeness of the relationships between these people may be indicated by the fact that Erasmus Darwin’s son married a Wedgwood daughter, and one of their sons was the more familiar Charles Darwin of evolutionary reknown.
A very interesting book, but I do need to say that I found it a difficult read as an ebook, mainly because there are so many characters and so many of their friends, acquaintances and relations mentioned that I did often find it difficult to remember who everyone was. I almost needed a ‘cheat-sheet’ or a ‘dramatis personae’ by my side. It would have been easier to cope with a paper book, I think, in that it’s very easy with a physical book to flip back and forth to scan for forgotten names and passages. So much so that, even though I now own the ebook, I think I’ll go looking for a paper copy to put on my shelf.
Highly recommended if you are at all interested in the history of technology.
xxstefaniereadsxx's review
informative
slow-paced
3.0
The Lunar Society of Birmingham was a British dinner club founded by several prominent men. The club was informal, having no minutes or constitution. There were several notable figures in this group, though they did not all share the same intellectual pursuits. Matthew Boulton was an English manufacturer of steam engines. Erasmus Darwin was an English physician. James Keir was a geologist and chemist. Jonathan Stokes, who created some of the first heart drugs, was also a member. Together, and with the assistance of others, they kicked off the Industrial Revolution and fostered the advancement of certain aspects of medicine. They were complex people in their friendships, business affairs, political affairs, and private relationships.
I had never heard of these men or their accomplishments, nor had I ever heard of the Lunar Society of Birmingham. I ran across this book at my local used bookstore, and picked it up because it seemed interesting and was a good price. I love that this book is essentially a biography of each of these men, though not as detailed as some biographical tomes. It is well researched, and features a lot of information about these men. I also enjoyed seeing how the French Revolution impacted the work that these men were doing. I know I am guilty sometimes of not thinking about things as a whole and only looking at one event or person, without considering mitigating circumstances. This was a great book, and I am glad I found it.
I had never heard of these men or their accomplishments, nor had I ever heard of the Lunar Society of Birmingham. I ran across this book at my local used bookstore, and picked it up because it seemed interesting and was a good price. I love that this book is essentially a biography of each of these men, though not as detailed as some biographical tomes. It is well researched, and features a lot of information about these men. I also enjoyed seeing how the French Revolution impacted the work that these men were doing. I know I am guilty sometimes of not thinking about things as a whole and only looking at one event or person, without considering mitigating circumstances. This was a great book, and I am glad I found it.
megbriers's review against another edition
challenging
informative
slow-paced
3.5
i'd recommend the in our time episode (https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00548z8) over the book if you're interested (tbf it is in my top 2 in our time episodes ever so this is not surprising), a lot more managable than this book. mixed feelings: this book is VAST and contains SO much information i wonder how on earth uglow managed to research this all, but the flip side of that is it also felt overwhelming at times. additionally i felt like i was supposed to have a much greater understanding of general 18c occurrences than i do, the politics part flew over my head.
collismeanshill's review
3.0
Dull as dry white toast, yet utterly fascinating for the history and overlapping lives it contained. A slog to read at times, but very happy I read it.
sirohub's review
3.0
So it took me a month and a half to get through this book, so what? Non-fiction books always take a bit longer to get through, I think because there's so much more content to understand and absorb.
Needless to say, I still enjoyed this book and learning about the men of the Lunar Society and the time they lived in. There are so many books and such interest in the 1800s but the 1700s, specifically the late 1700s are just as interesting, if not more interesting, in my opinion.
While I enjoyed this book, it was a slog to get through at times. But that's probably just because there's so much information to take in. Uglow really doesn't skimp on the details. I'd say anyone who enjoys learning about the 19th century might like this book and obviously anyone who is interested in the 18th century.
Needless to say, I still enjoyed this book and learning about the men of the Lunar Society and the time they lived in. There are so many books and such interest in the 1800s but the 1700s, specifically the late 1700s are just as interesting, if not more interesting, in my opinion.
While I enjoyed this book, it was a slog to get through at times. But that's probably just because there's so much information to take in. Uglow really doesn't skimp on the details. I'd say anyone who enjoys learning about the 19th century might like this book and obviously anyone who is interested in the 18th century.
rogerb's review
5.0
This one came from an Internet list.
A revelation - intertwined biographies from which I learned loads, and a terrific exposition on the whole exceeding the sum of the parts. These remarkable men, complete with human failings and strong mined spouses and family, busy changing the world (really), against a backdrop of the US and French revolutions ... what's not to like?
She writes very well, making potentially dense material accessible and page-turning, and she also makes a number of good points about science, engineering and innovation. If these guys had not lived, these things would have happened anyway. But they did, and this story is well worth knowing.
A revelation - intertwined biographies from which I learned loads, and a terrific exposition on the whole exceeding the sum of the parts. These remarkable men, complete with human failings and strong mined spouses and family, busy changing the world (really), against a backdrop of the US and French revolutions ... what's not to like?
She writes very well, making potentially dense material accessible and page-turning, and she also makes a number of good points about science, engineering and innovation. If these guys had not lived, these things would have happened anyway. But they did, and this story is well worth knowing.