From the acclaimed author of The Last First Day, here is a beautiful new period novel: a nineteenth-century story of female empowerment before its time, based on the life of Caroline Herschel, sister of the great composer and astronomer William Herschel and an astronomer in her own right.
 
This exquisitely imagined novel opens as William rescues Caroline from a life of drudgery in Germany and brings her to England and a world...

"Once upon a time there lived a girl who swept floors and washed dishes, and was little more than a servant to her family. Until, one day, an invitation arrived. It was an invitation to a new country and a new beginning--a place where Caroline's dreams, her fascination with the night sky, and her extraordinary talent would open up a world of beauty and renown, and make her the belle of the scientific ball. From humble beginnings and in spite of many...

During a time when women were often alienated from scientific study due to their gender, Caroline Herschel made significant contributions to the field of astronomy. Having discovered multiple comets and created her own star catalogue, Herschel was the first woman to be paid for her scientific research. This text includes ample historical context and primary source evidence to situate Herschel and her contributions to the field of astronomy during...

This book takes the reader on an enchanting journey into the lives of fourteen genius scientists who lived during the Enlightenment period to the mid-twentieth century. They suffered ethnic, gender, sexual prejudices, cultural and religious taboos, poverty, and epidemics. Most lived a very short life. And yet, their intuition and perseverance prevailed, and their pioneering discoveries changed the world. Their tragic lives faded away over time. However,...