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This book is a companion volume of
sorts to his 2002 work, An Annotated Census of Copernicus' De revolutionibus’,
describing how Professor Gingerich sought through all copies of the first two editions of
Copernicus' classic work - De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium and how by examining
and cataloguing them he was able to determine whose hands they had gone through. Of
greatest interest are the annotations in the copies themselves, often made by the
illustrious owners -- and proving definitively that at least some significant scientists,
philosophers, and others not only read the work but read it closely. It seems an unlikely
subject for a book, but in fact it is a neat exercise in intellectual history. Gingerich's
book is an interesting tour of several different subjects. It is an introduction to the
world of antiquarian book collecting, selling, and safe-keeping. The author describes the
process of making the first two editions and then goes on to present their further
history.
list of owners of the first and second edition of Copernicus' book is an impressive one,
and Gingerich does a great job of explaining the relationship of them (or their work) to
Copernicus. Of particular use for this are the annotations many owners left in the books,
and Gingerich's detective work that leads to some interesting discoveries and conclusions.
He also discusses the implications and significance of the great Polish astronomer
Copernicus' book and its role in leading to the widespread acceptance of the heliocentric
model. It is a book for anyone interested in the Copernican revolution, and for dedicated
bibliophiles. |