The Ascent of John Tyndall: Victorian Scientist, Mountaineer, and Public Intellectual
Though lesser-known than his contemporaries – Faraday, Huxley, Kelvin, Carlyle, and Pasteur – John Tyndall is becoming recognized for achievements in science and other areas. The “ascent” in the title could apply equally well to any of the three aspects in the subtitle: he was the first to summit the Matterhorn despite beginning hill-walking simply to alleviate his migraines and stomach distress. He rose from humble Irish roots yet was welcome in the finest circles of England and Germany and received five honorary doctorates. As a prominent scientist who toured the Continent and America lecturing, he was the first to explain in layman’s terms both the greenhouse effect and why the sky is blue. His personal life was more challenging: though he appreciated women, he waited until 55 to marry, and his wife (who accidentally poisoned him) survived him by 47 years.
Jackson is the perfect guide to this complex man, as he is the general editor of the forthcoming 19-volume set of Tyndall’s correspondence. Jackson details Tyndall’s personal and professional activities while bringing this wide-ranging man into the public eye in a century that may better appreciate his contributions than the one in which he lived.
