CITY OF THE STARGAZERS: The Rise and Fall of Ancient Alexandria

by Kenneth Heuer ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 20, 1972

Neither Heuer's apparent expertise (he wrote An Adventure in Astronomy and teaches the same at the Hayden Planetarium) nor the handsomely reproduced photographs of coins, statues and other artifacts will make up for the choppy style which continually forces the reader to shift gears in mid-sentence. (Typically: ""Aristarchus was known as 'the mathematician,' probably in order to tell him apart from others with the same name, though On the Sizes and Distances of the Sun and Moon, the only work of his that still exists, is the work of a very able mathematician indeed."") The flowering of scientific thought in Alexandria is potentially a fascinating subject, and Heuer commands an impressive knowledge of both the astronomical texts themselves and relevant historical anecdotes, but very few readers will be willing to contend with his consistently awkward and occasionally impenetrable prose. A disappointment.

Pub Date: Nov. 20, 1972

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Scribners

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1972

Categories: NONFICTION