Michael Faraday, self-taught and without any particular scientific knowledge, from an errand boy of the humblest origins became one of the greatest Englishmen of all time. With simple determination and extraordinary intuition he arrived at the scientific discoveries upon which most of the technology of the twentieth century is based. His life and works had a profound influence upon contemporary thought, inspiring and supplementing the work of other great intellects, such as Clerk Maxwell and Albert Einstein. John Meurig Thomas, continuing the tradition of the spreading of scientific knowledge of which Michael Faraday is such a shining example, has the gift of illustrating the history and scientific work of this natural philosopher with a style, at once simple and precisely accurate, that makes it accessible to all. Faraday's fascinating and richly detailed story is accompanied by a series of drawings, photographs and letters, material that is largely original. |