Synopses & Reviews
The thrilling story of the charismatic explorer who Simon Bolivar called the true discoverer of South America and the daring expedition that altered the course of science.
From 1799 to 1804 German naturalist and adventurer Alexander von Humboldt conducted the first extensive scientific exploration of Latin America. At the completion of his arduous 6,000-mile journey, he was feted by Thomas Jefferson and presented to Napoleon, and, with the subsequent publication of his findings, he would be hailed as the greatest scientific genius of his age.
Humboldts Cosmos tells the story of this extraordinary man who was equal parts Einstein and Livingstone, and of the adventure that defined his life. Gerard Helferich vividly recounts Humboldts expedition through the Amazon and over the Andes, highlighting his paradigm-changing discoveries along the way. During the course of the expedition, Humboldt cataloged more than 60,000 plants, set an altitude record climbing the volcano Chimborazo, and became the first to study the great cultures of the Aztecs and Incas. In the process, he revolutionized geology and laid the groundwork for modern sciences such as climatology, oceanography, and geographyand his contributions would influence future greats such as Charles Darwin and shape the course of science for centuries to come.
Published in time for the bicentennial of the expeditions completion in May 1804, Humboldts Cosmos is a dramatic tribute to one of historys most audacious adventurers, whom Stephen Jay Gould noted may well have been the worlds most famous and influential intellectual.
About the Author
Gerard Helferich worked in book publishing for twenty-five years as an editor and publisher.
Table of Contents
Contents Preface: Humboldtís Ghost 000
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 000
ONE: Tegel 000
TWO: Tenerife 000
THREE: Cuman· 000
FOUR: Caracas 000
FIVE: The Llanos 000
SIX: The Orinoco 000
SEVEN: The Amazon 000
EIGHT: Cuba 000
NINE: Chimborazo 000
TEN: Cajamarca 000
ELEVEN: New Spain 000
TWELVE: The United States, Paris, and Berlin 000
CONCLUSION: Humboldtís Spirit 000
BIBLIOGRAPHY 000
SOURCES 000
APP: IX I: Other Works of Alexander von Humboldt 000 APP: IX II: Places Named After Alexander von Humboldt 000 INDEX 000