Gribbin, an astrophysicist at the U. of Sussex in the UK, whose narrative style is clear and engaging, has written a story of western science based on the lives, connecting theories, and inventions of scientists from the Renaissance through the present. In addition to such well known figures as Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, and Albert Einstein, readers will become acquainted with such lesser known scientists as Leonard Digges, Lippershey, Humphry Davy, James Clerk Maxwell, Thomas Young, and Michael Faraday. The chapters on modern science are divided into inner space, the realm of life, and outer space. The book, which is written for the non-specialist, provides an excellent introduction to both historical and current theories in many fields. This is the first American edition; the book was first published in 2002 by Allen Lane, an imprint of Penguin Books in the UK. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Read Less