Dava Sobel's lifelong love of science has taken her from the Bronx High School of Science to The New York Times to the top of the bestseller list. Author of "Galileo's Daughter" and "Longitude," Sobel's most recent book is "The Planets," and she will be discussing it on Monday, Nov. 20 at 8 p.m. at the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts at Fairfield University. The event is part of The Author's Forum, and is presented by University College, in collaboration with the Discovery Museum. The event is open to the public. Tickets are $10, free for Fairfield University students with ID. Please phone (203) 254-4010 or 1-877-ARTS-396.

Called by The New York Times "a master storyteller," Sobel offers a fresh perspective on science in her works and grippingly conveys the tremendous challenges posed to the great discoverers. "The Planets," in her words, employs science fiction, mythology, astrology, music and poetry to link today's scientific exploration of the Solar System with planetary allusions in popular culture. Sobel explores the 200 newly discovered planets orbiting the stars beyond the Sun and showcases the more familiar nine planets. Entertainment Weekly observed, "The writer who so deftly spun science into gripping story in her previous best-sellers "Longitude" and "Galileo's Daughter" here offers an incantatory serenade to the solar system." Kirkus Reviews called the book, "A lively exploration of the historical and cultural meaning of the planets."

A 2000 Pulitzer Prize finalist and New York Times number one bestseller, "Galileo's Daughter" explores the life of Galileo through the insights of his eldest daughter, a Poor Clare nun. The astronomer's definition of the relationship between science and religion has since become the Catholic Church's official position, although during Galileo's lifetime he was brought to trial before the Inquisition for his writings. Sobel's extensive research for the book took her to Italy, where she translated more than 100 letters from Galileo's daughter to her father. The book inspired two programs produced by the PBS show, "NOVA."

The award-winning "Longitude" tells the story of how the Age of Exploration was fraught with tragedy because sailors had no accurate means of determining their position at sea. That is, until a clockmaker named John Harrison discovered how to figure out longitude, ushering in world map-making and saving many lives in the process. The book inspired the miniseries "Longitude," produced by A&E and starring Jeremy Irons.

Philip Eliasoph, Ph.D., said Sobel's works showcase the courage and perseverance of the world's great discoverers. "She offers a vibrant and dynamic re-telling of science history. She surrounds compelling history lessons with drama and emotion. Her books are quite simply page-turners."

Sobel is currently at work writing a play, her first. It centers on how Copernicus stuck to his gut instinct and deduced the Earth's motion around the Sun. Sobel calls the play "a natural next step." "My college degree is in theater history, since bolstered by lots of life experience as a theater-goer, and of course the theme of the piece is a familiar favorite of mine: the great transformation of humankind's worldview through science."

One of Sobel's favorite jobs before becoming a full-time author was working as a staff reporter for the Science News section of The New York Times , tackling psychiatry and psychology stories. Her extensive resume includes writing assignments for The New Yorker, Discover, Audubon and Life . She served as a contributing editor to Omni and Harvard Magazine . She is a fellow of the American Geographical Society. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2001 Individual Public Service Award and Boston Museum of Science's prestigious Bradford Washburn Award.

Posted On: 10-31-2006 10:10 AM

Volume: 39 Number: 74