¶¶¶¶¶ 5 out of 5 stars; Paperback 384 pgs.
A masterpiece of work by David Bodanis, Passionate Minds is the real-life retelling of the life of the astounding eighteenth century woman, Emilie du Chatelet, and the love affair she shared with perhaps the greatest known man from the Enlightenment -- Voltaire. This book was recommended to me by my sister. As I began to read, it became quickly evident that Du Chatelet was unfairly overshadowed by Voltaire in regard to the impact she had on the Enlightenment. Here is a woman who defied the customs of her day to seek mathematical and scientific discoveries of the world and universe, all with the handicap of not being afforded the great education that was provided to men during her lifetime. She not only survived in a man's world, she out-did the quickest minds of the men who ruled it. Hers was a mind of passionate wonder. Indeed, Bodanis seems to paint his subjects with a flair for understanding that both Du Chatelet and Voltaire were passionate human beings, driven towards each other and towards greater scientific discovery by an inner voice that guided them to become more than what their original stations in life seemed to offer them.
Voltaire, a commoner, defied the bounds of his class to become the greatest playwright and wordsmith the French had ever seen, later to find himself among the elites of the French and Prussian courts. And, despite Emilie du Chatelet's birth into an influential, aristocratic family, the time in which she was born indicated that limits would be placed upon her solely because of her gender. Both would reach beyond the bounds of these circumstances to unite in their mutual search for scientific discovery. Emilie's husband, understanding of her need to use her mind for greater gifts, not only seemed to encourage her need for intellectual pursuits, but seemed more than willing to accept and support her relationship with Voltaire.
In Passionate Minds, one cannot help but note that there always seemed a sense of insecurity with Voltaire. History paints him as a man of words, science, and moral acumen. Bodanis provides enough evidence to suggest Voltaire was indeed secure in his greatness, but goes further to describe Voltaire as a boastful man who was sometimes stymied by vanity and insecurity; a man willing to take credit when credit was not solely his due. Bodanis paints Emilie, on the other hand, as a passionate intellectual, who was brilliant in languages, astronomy, physics, and mathematics. If given her proper due from history, history would see that she was perhaps the intellectual equal of the men whom she studied -- notably John Locke, Sir Isaac Newton, and Gottfried Wilheim von Leibniz; certainly she was intellectually more superior to Voltaire (Bodanis goes as far to suggest that this truth was known by Voltaire himself and perhaps was one of the major factors that eventually led the insecure Voltaire to break his affair with Emilie).
Emilie du Chatelet's story is one filled with passionate love affairs and intellectual endeavors and discovery. Her teaming with Voltaire was most fruitful, providing for each a safe haven in which they could engage in their scientific labors of love. Their story is not free of disappointments, however, and most certainly, it was Du Chatelet who was at the receiving end of the more heart-breaking let downs that would ultimately lead to her death. Even her once beloved Voltaire was not exempt from hurting her, but through it all, what remained was a friendship, devotion, and bond that stood against all disappointments and betrayals.
It is sad that Emilie du Chatelet is most noted in history as the lover of Voltaire. Bodanis attempts to change Du Chatelet as a footnote in history to a more relevant character by introducing us to the true genius that she was. Her translation of Newton's work stands the test of time and is proof of her greatness. The work she did and the discovers she made would set the foundation for other great minds, most notably, Albert Einstein (in fact, Bodanis discovered Du Chatelet while researching his book, E=mc2). Emilie was superior to Voltaire and any of the mathematical and scientific men of her day in the breadth and depth of her intellectual prowess and understanding.
Bodanis should be commended for shedding more light on the amazingly astounding Emilie du Chatelet. Through Bodanis's Passionate Minds, I hope the world finally pays due respect to the wonderful, richly fascinating historical figure that was Emilie du Chatelet.
A masterpiece of work by David Bodanis, Passionate Minds is the real-life retelling of the life of the astounding eighteenth century woman, Emilie du Chatelet, and the love affair she shared with perhaps the greatest known man from the Enlightenment -- Voltaire. This book was recommended to me by my sister. As I began to read, it became quickly evident that Du Chatelet was unfairly overshadowed by Voltaire in regard to the impact she had on the Enlightenment. Here is a woman who defied the customs of her day to seek mathematical and scientific discoveries of the world and universe, all with the handicap of not being afforded the great education that was provided to men during her lifetime. She not only survived in a man's world, she out-did the quickest minds of the men who ruled it. Hers was a mind of passionate wonder. Indeed, Bodanis seems to paint his subjects with a flair for understanding that both Du Chatelet and Voltaire were passionate human beings, driven towards each other and towards greater scientific discovery by an inner voice that guided them to become more than what their original stations in life seemed to offer them.
Voltaire, a commoner, defied the bounds of his class to become the greatest playwright and wordsmith the French had ever seen, later to find himself among the elites of the French and Prussian courts. And, despite Emilie du Chatelet's birth into an influential, aristocratic family, the time in which she was born indicated that limits would be placed upon her solely because of her gender. Both would reach beyond the bounds of these circumstances to unite in their mutual search for scientific discovery. Emilie's husband, understanding of her need to use her mind for greater gifts, not only seemed to encourage her need for intellectual pursuits, but seemed more than willing to accept and support her relationship with Voltaire.
In Passionate Minds, one cannot help but note that there always seemed a sense of insecurity with Voltaire. History paints him as a man of words, science, and moral acumen. Bodanis provides enough evidence to suggest Voltaire was indeed secure in his greatness, but goes further to describe Voltaire as a boastful man who was sometimes stymied by vanity and insecurity; a man willing to take credit when credit was not solely his due. Bodanis paints Emilie, on the other hand, as a passionate intellectual, who was brilliant in languages, astronomy, physics, and mathematics. If given her proper due from history, history would see that she was perhaps the intellectual equal of the men whom she studied -- notably John Locke, Sir Isaac Newton, and Gottfried Wilheim von Leibniz; certainly she was intellectually more superior to Voltaire (Bodanis goes as far to suggest that this truth was known by Voltaire himself and perhaps was one of the major factors that eventually led the insecure Voltaire to break his affair with Emilie).
Emilie du Chatelet's story is one filled with passionate love affairs and intellectual endeavors and discovery. Her teaming with Voltaire was most fruitful, providing for each a safe haven in which they could engage in their scientific labors of love. Their story is not free of disappointments, however, and most certainly, it was Du Chatelet who was at the receiving end of the more heart-breaking let downs that would ultimately lead to her death. Even her once beloved Voltaire was not exempt from hurting her, but through it all, what remained was a friendship, devotion, and bond that stood against all disappointments and betrayals.
It is sad that Emilie du Chatelet is most noted in history as the lover of Voltaire. Bodanis attempts to change Du Chatelet as a footnote in history to a more relevant character by introducing us to the true genius that she was. Her translation of Newton's work stands the test of time and is proof of her greatness. The work she did and the discovers she made would set the foundation for other great minds, most notably, Albert Einstein (in fact, Bodanis discovered Du Chatelet while researching his book, E=mc2). Emilie was superior to Voltaire and any of the mathematical and scientific men of her day in the breadth and depth of her intellectual prowess and understanding.
Bodanis should be commended for shedding more light on the amazingly astounding Emilie du Chatelet. Through Bodanis's Passionate Minds, I hope the world finally pays due respect to the wonderful, richly fascinating historical figure that was Emilie du Chatelet.
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