A lively parade of cranks, mystics, rebels, obsessives, and geniuses humble or otherwise whose discoveries and insights shaped today's science and technology. . . . [T]he author realizes them with vivacity, lucidly describing their significant achievements and also drawing connections—between the ideas of Leibnitz in the 17th century and of visionary mathematician Riemann in the 19th to Einstein's in the 20th, for instance. . . . [R]efreshingly opinionated and not without a few pleasant surprises. -- Kirkus Reviews

". . . informal, accessible tone . . . a rich and lively history of scientific innovation."

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"Eureka! 50 Scientists Who Shaped Human History. By John Grant. Zest Books. $14.99. The world of once-over-lightly fact books is one in which some entries work a lot better than others. John Grant is at the high end of these short, fact-focused books with Eureka! . . . Grant presents information on the scientists in a breezy, easily readable style that is nevertheless fact-packed. . . . [He] manages a fine balance between explanations of the important scientific findings associated with his 50 chosen subjects and some offbeat matters regarding them. . . . Grant is knowledgeable and, equally important in an “overview” book like this one, able to communicate knowledge in simple but not simplistic language that readers are likely to find attractive enough so that they will be spurred to dig up more material about these scientists on their own – the best possible outcome after reading a book such as this one."

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"Regardless of if you're familiar with the scientist or not, Grant's interesting stories and facts will keep you reading. Since the book is divided into fifty sections—one for each scientist—it is easy to pick up and put down, though I found myself reading large chunks at a time. Students, especially science lovers, will enjoy Eureka! and it will also make a great nonfiction tie-in for science or language arts teachers looking to build background information and give context for some of the greatest discoveries in human history."

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"Each biography . . . includes the most important aspects of the subject’s life and intellectual achievements, along with fascinating trivia and personal idiosyncrasies. Tycho Brahe’s metal prosthetic nose, Hypatia’s death at the hands of an anti-intellectual lynch mob, and Antoine Lavoisier’s scandalous marriage bring a relatability to these highly intelligent people that will keep readers engaged."

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