Audiobooks by Dava Sobel

The Elements of Marie Curie: How the Glow of Radium Lit a Path for Women in Science

"Dava Sobel, acclaimed and bestselling author of Longitude, chronicles the life and work of the most famous woman in the history of science – and the untold story of the young women who trained in her laboratory. ‘A fresh and feminist study of the pioneering Nobel laureate reveals her impact on the women she mentored and set on the path to prominence’ Observer ‘It is a novel lens through which to view Curie’s story, and Sobel paints her tale with characteristic deftness and eloquence’ Financial Times For decades Marie Curie was the only woman in the room at international scientific gatherings, and despite constant illness she travelled far and wide to share the secrets of radioactivity, a term she coined. She is still the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two scientific fields. Her ingenuity extended far beyond the laboratory walls; grieving the death of her husband, Pierre, she took his place as professor of physics at the Sorbonne, devotedly raised two daughters, drove a van she outfitted with x-ray equipment to the front lines of World War I, befriended Albert Einstein and inspired generations of young women to pursue science as a way of life. Approaching Marie Curie from a unique angle, Sobel navigates her remarkable discoveries and fame alongside the women who became her legacy – from Norway’s Ellen Gleditsch and France’s Marguerite Perry, who discovered the element francium, to her own daughter, Irene, a Nobel Prize winner in her own right. The Elements of Marie Curie deftly illuminates the trailblazing life and enduring influence of one of the most consequential figures of our time. ‘A lucid, literate biography, celebrating a scientific exemplar who, for all her fame, deserves to be better known’ Kirkus ‘As expected from a Pulitzer Prize finalist, Sobel writes beautifully and with clarity about the science that Curie specialised in, making clear the achievements that her lab brought about’ Daily Mail ‘This is an essential read, capturing both [Curie's] genius and her legacy’ New Scientist ‘Sobel’s book is a luminous and illuminating contribution to the cause’ Literary Review"

Dava Sobel (Author), Patricia Rodriguez (Narrator)

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The Glass Universe: The Hidden History of the Women Who Took the Measure of the Stars

"AN OBSERVER BOOK OF THE YEAR ‘A peerless intellectual biography. The Glass Universe shines and twinkles as brightly as the stars themselves’ The Economist #1 New York Times bestselling author Dava Sobel returns with a captivating, little-known true story of women in science In the mid-nineteenth century, the Harvard College Observatory began employing women as calculators, or “human computers,” to interpret the observations their male counterparts made via telescope each night. As photography transformed the practice of astronomy, the women turned to studying images of the stars captured on glass photographic plates, making extraordinary discoveries that attracted worldwide acclaim. They helped discern what the stars were made of, divided them into meaningful categories for further research, and even found a way to measure distances across space by starlight . Elegantly written and enriched by excerpts from letters, diaries, and memoirs, The Glass Universe is the hidden history of a group of remarkable women whose vital contributions to the burgeoning field of astronomy forever changed our understanding of the stars and our place in the universe."

Dava Sobel (Author), Laurence Bouvard (Narrator)

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And The Sun Stood Still

"Dava Sobel's thoughtful play brings to life the story of Nicolaus Copernicus, the Renaissance astronomer and mathematician who proposed the heliocentric model of the universe in which the Sun stands at the center. Plagued by self-doubt and threatened by religious censure, Copernicus resisted the publication of his work until just before his death in 1543. The play follows Copernicus in those final years as he works to complete his research with the help of Georg Rheticus, a young disciple from Wittenberg, Germany. Includes a conversation with playwright Dava Sobel, author of "A More Perfect Heaven: How Copernicus Revolutionized the Cosmos." Recorded at The Invisible Studios, West Hollywood in February, 2015. And the Sun Stood Still is part of L.A. Theatre Works' Relativity Series of science-themed plays. Lead funding for the Relativity Series is provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, bridging science and the arts in the modern world. Directed by Rosalind Ayres Producing Director Susan Albert Loewenberg Robert Foxworth as Copernicus Gregory Harrison as Giese Michael Kirby as Rheticus Kate Steele as Anna John Vickery as Bishop Dantsicus Associate Producers: Anna Lyse Erikson, Myke Weiskopf. Recording Engineer, Sound Designer, Mixer: Mark Holden for The Invisible Studios, West Hollywood. Editor: Wes Dewberry"

Dava Sobel (Author), Gregory Harrison, John Vickery, Kate Steele, Michael Kirby, Robert Foxworth (Narrator)

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A More Perfect Heaven: How Copernicus Revolutionized the Cosmos

"With the enthralling style that made Longitude and Galileo's Daughter international best-sellers, Dava Sobel paints an unforgettable portrait of the Copernican Revolution. Encouraged by his German protege, Polish cleric Nicolaus Copernicus published his heliocentric model of the universe, tantalizing 16th-century mathematicians and scientists-and triggering a groundswell of opposition."

Dava Sobel (Author), Alma Cuervo, Andy Paris, George Guidall, John Mcdonough, Michael Sullivan, Peter J. Fernandez, Suzanne Toren (Narrator)

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A More Perfect Heaven

"In her compelling style, Dava Sobel chronicles the history of the Copernican Revolution, relating the story of astronomy from Aristotle to the Middle Ages. And as with her previous international bestsellers, Sobel expands the bounds of popular science writing, giving us an unforgettable portrait of a major step forward in the human knowledge of our universe."

Dava Sobel (Author), Alma Cuervo, Andy Paris, George Guidall, John Mcdonough, Multiple Narrators, Nick Sullivan, Peter J. Fernandez, Suzanne Toren (Narrator)

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The Planets

"THE PLANETS is Dava Sobel's sweeping look at our heavenly galaxy. In the spirit of Longitude and Galileo's Daughter, Sobel once again brings science and history deftly to life as she explores the origins of the planets and reveals the exotic environments that exist in each of these fascinating alien worlds. After the huge national and international success of Longitude and Galileo's Daughter, Dava Sobel tells the human story of the nine planets of our solar system. THE PLANETS tells the story of each member of our solar family, from their discovery, both mythic and historic, to the latest data from the modern era's robotic space probes and images from the Hubble Space Telescope. Whether revealing what hides behind Venus' cocoon of acid clouds, describing Jupiter's 'Technicolor lightning bolts and shimmering sheets of auroras,' or capturing first-hand the excitement at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory when the first pictures from Voyager were beamed to earth, Dava Sobel's unique tour of the solar family is filled with fascination and poetry. In lyrical prose THE PLANETS gives a breathtaking, close-up perspective on those heavenly bodies that have captured the imagination of humanity since that first glimpse at the glittering night skies. This is an extraordinary book of science, history, biography and storytelling. Timely and timeless, THE PLANETS will engage and delight as it unravels the mysteries of the cosmos."

Dava Sobel (Author), Lorna Raver (Narrator)

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