Monday, January 07, 2013

Book Review - A Glorious Enterprise: The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia and the Making of American Science

A Glorious Enterprise: The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia and the Making of American Science
Robert McCracken Peck (Author)
Patricia Tyson Stroud (Author)
Rosamond Purcell (Photographer)
Hardcover
464 pages
Genre: Natural History
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press
Publication Date: February 28, 2012
ISBN-13: 978-0812243802

Glorious Enterprise (2)

     This beautifully constructed non-fiction work retells the complete history of The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia through some of the most stunning articles, photographs, and paintings ever assembled. There is something new and fascinating to learn on every page. With stories about the founders, contributors (Lewis and Clark's collection is a stand out), and the millions of collected and contributed natural science pieces A Glorious Enterprise is sure to please everyone fortunate enough to open its cover. From start to finish this book is entertaining and educational and a "must have" for anyone even remotely interested in the natural sciences.

     The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia is the oldest natural history museum in the Western hemisphere and continues to play an integral part in the forming of American Natural Sciences. Many of the most famous names in American history are associated with the academy/museum including: Lewis and Clark, Thomas Jefferson, John James Audubon, and Robert Peary, to name but a few.

     A Glorious Enterprise is opulently illustrated with hundreds of striking archival images and gorgeous original photographs that brings some of the earliest American specimens from the Academy's collections into new perspective while entertaining and educating readers of all ages.

5 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

A Glorious Enterprise Amazon Page

University of Pennsylvania Press Image Gallery

A Glorious Enterprise Audubon Magazine Page

The Academy of Natural Sciences

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