G.A.R. Memorial Library (West Newbury)

American eclipse, a nation's epic race to catch the shadow of the moon and win the glory of the world, David Baron

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages [289]-308) and index

illustrationschartsmaps

index present

non fiction

American eclipse

bibliography

959875389

David Baron

a nation's epic race to catch the shadow of the moon and win the glory of the world

In vibrant historical detail, American Eclipse animates the fierce jockeying that came to dominate late nineteenth-century American astronomy, revealing the challenges faced by three of the most determined eclipse chasers who participated in this adventure. James Craig Watson, in his day a renowned asteroid hunter; Vassar astronomer Maria Mitchell, who fought to demonstrate that science and higher learning were not anathema to femininity; and Thomas Edison, a young inventor and irrepressible showman. With vivid accounts of train robberies and Indian skirmishes, Baron's page-turning drama not only brings to life the mythologized age of the Wild West in a totally unexpected way but forever memorializes an historic eclipse that would come to symbolize American science in its ascendance.--, Adapted from book jacket

Prologue: Shall the sun be darkened -- Part one: 1876. Reign of shoddy ; Professor of quadruplicity ; Nemesis ; "Petticoat parliament" -- Part two: 1878. Politics and moonshine ; The wizard in Washington ; Sic transit ; "Good woman that she are" ; Show business -- Part three: 1878. Among the tribes of uncivilization ; Queen city ; Nature's editor ; Old probabilities -- Part four: 1878. Favored mortals ; First contact ; Totality ; American genius -- Part five: 1878-1931. Ghosts ; Shadow and light -- Epilogue: Tendrils of history