Perspective

Galileo's Daughter was written by Dava Sobel, a former freelance writer turned author after the success of her first book, LONGITUDE, was published in 1994. Sobel considers herself to be fortunate having had the opportunity to grow up on the Bronx, make numerous visits to the Bronx Zoo, and be the daughter of well-read parents, including a mother who was trained as a chemist. Sobel states that she grew up with the belief that even girls could be involved in science.

The impetus for GALILEO'S DAUGHTER originated with a previous project, titled LETTERS TO FATHER, a collection of Suor Maria Celeste's letters to Galileo published in both Italian and English. The project, referred to as The Galileo Project donated proceeds of the book to the Poor Clares, the religious order to which Suors Maria Celeste and Archangela belonged. Eventually, people began to request that "The Galileo Project" be formed...