Hattrick

I was looking for it since long. Thankfully, my latest Landmark trip proved fruitful and I was able to gift myself a copy of Galileo's Daughter (Why the word 'gift'? Well, I had declared (in one weak moment, no doubt) April to be a 'No books month'. Which meant I was not to buy even a single book for a whole month. Now if you know me, you also know that's quite a challenge for me. My friends understandably expressed their concern in the beginning (and astonishment in the end when I did complete it). Hence the word 'gift'. Anyway).

As I said, I was looking for this book since long, having read and liked both Planets and Longitude by Dava Sobel. Again, Sobel did not disappint. This book is a biography of Galileo, but an important part is the correpondence between Galileo and his daughter Virginia (who became a nun and adopted the title 'Suor Maria Celeste'). So here we meet the man who on one hand is creating the foundations of modern science and on the other hand is caring enough to cater to even the smallest requests from his daughter, like silk for making collars. Virginia had inherited her father's intelligence, as is apparent from her requests for manuscripts of Galileo's works. The drama of trial of Galileo is covered well and will connect to your heart. Specifically noteworthy is the part in the end, where Galileo is allowed to return to his home after his trial and after many unnecessary delays, but his daughter who is eagerly waiting for him succumbs to an illness before he reaches. Like other Sobel books, it's completely unputdownable. That's why the title. Highly recommended!

Enjoy!