Galileo's Daughter

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Inspired by a fascination with Galileo and the letters of his daughter, a cloistered nun, Sobel has crafted a biography of the man hailed by Einstein as the "father of modern physics." This work presents a portrait of a previously overlooked figure, described by Galileo as "a woman of exquisite mind, singular goodness & most tenderly attached to me." Born in 1564, Galileo Galilei initially sought a monastic life before becoming the leading scientist of his time. Despite never leaving Italy, his inventions and discoveries gained international acclaim, notably his telescopes, which revealed a new celestial reality and supported the heliocentric model. This belief led to his trial for heresy by the Holy Office of the Inquisition, resulting in house arrest for his final years. His eldest illegitimate daughter, Virginia, born in 1600, mirrored his brilliance and became his confidante after being placed in a convent at age 13, taking the name Suor Maria Celeste. Her unwavering support provided Galileo with strength during his tumultuous years. Sobel translates their letters, enriching the narrative and illuminating the contrasting worlds of Galileo's public life and Maria Celeste's seclusion. The story unfolds against the backdrop of the Medicis and the papal court, during a time when humanity's understanding of its place in the cosmos was shifting dramatically amidst the devastation of the bubonic plague and the Thirty Years' War.