, by Laura Tunbridge (Yale). Focussing on nine pivotal works, this study, equal parts musicological and biographical, complicates the simplistic portrait of Beethoven as an isolated, single-minded genius. Although he seemed inclined to rebellion and irreverence, he still relied upon a close circle of friends and patronsâespecially as he began to lose his hearingâand saw his fortunes as bound up with theirs. His music also testifies to his political awareness. Tunbridge writes that âFidelio,â his only opera, âroots him as a man of his time rather than allowing him to float free of worldly concerns, a transcendent genius.â
, by Seb Falk (Norton). The figure at the heart of this exploration of medieval astronomers, philosophers, and physicians is John of Westwyk, a brilliant fourteenth-century Benedictine monk who created an equatorium, a kind of analog computer for determining the positions of the planets. As John passes in and out of the historical recor
By Steve Donoghue Correspondent
âPositively medievalâ has been a choice put-down for years. But University of Cambridge historian Seb Falk, in his irresistible new book âThe Light Ages: The Surprising Story of Medieval Science,â maintains a certain impatience with that usage.Â
âMedievalâ shouldnât be an insult at all, he argues. Instead, he wants readers to discover the scientific inquiry that existed during the so-called Dark Ages.Â
According to Falk, this period was a time rich with vigorous research and experimentation. And yes, he acknowledges, the Catholic Church was an all-encompassing power in the European Middle Ages. But to think of science and religion âas two separate, inevitably antagonistic opponents, or to suggest that such close-mindedness as does exist has always been on the side of religion, is far too simplistic,â he writes.
30 Thoughtful Book Choices for Everyone on Your Holiday List
On 12/12/20 at 8:00 AM EST
Having trouble picking out the perfect gift for everyone on your list? Did you wait till the last minute? Never fear,
Newsweek has curated a list of book choices for you, with a selection of photo essays, biographies, novels, thrillers and more all from 2020, each one proving that something good came out of this year after all. These great reads are available for pick up at nearby bookstores, or online for contactless purchases with shipping in time for the holiday or even choose the e-book option. Select gift wrap at checkout and have them shipped directly to the lucky recipient. All that s left is to set up a Zoom call to discuss what everyone is reading!