Uncentering the Earth: Copernicus and The Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres (Great Discoveries)

An analysis of the astronomer's pivotal sixteenth-century work traces how his challenge to beliefs about an Earth-centric solar system had a profound influence on the ways in which humanity understands itself and the universe.

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LibraryThing member wrmjr66

This is an interesting book, and Vollman gets high marks for actually reading Copernicus (I tried once and gave up quickly). As part of a series of books on scientists by non-scientists, it is written at an appropriate level for someone like me. Vollman isn't interested so much in the science as he

is in the place of Copernicanism in history. He notes often that astronomy has advanced so far that Copernicus seems quaint in his insistence on circular motion even with his heliocentric universe. What he finds more interesting is how this is but the opening salvo in the battle that brought down the (always odd) scriptural-Ptolemaic universe alliance. The problem with the book is he never quite gets the balance between the science and the story right. So it's not a great book, but I enjoyed reading it. 3 stars seems about right to me.

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