Joseph Priestley

Thorpe, T. E. (Thomas Edward), 1845-1925Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.4

Word count: 418K words
Chapters: 42

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971, and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today. Joseph Priestley by T. E. Thorpe. Author: Thorpe, T. E. (Thomas Edward), 1845-1925. Language: English. Class: QD: Science: Chemistry. Release Date: Feb 28, 2018.

Editor's review

This is a biographical work on Joseph Priestley by Thomas Edward Thorpe, classified under chemistry. Priestley is famed for discovering oxygen and other gases, and was also an important figure in thought and religion. Thorpe was himself a chemist, so beyond narrating the life, the book offers an insider's account of Priestley's scientific experiments and chemical ideas, which is what distinguishes it from ordinary popular biographies. As a public-domain eBook from Project Gutenberg, the text preserves the style of early scientific biography: plain in language and clear in structure, suitable as an introductory reader on a key figure in the history of modern chemistry. While reading, pay attention to the interplay between experimental methods and the ideas of the age, and to why Priestley explained his discoveries within the framework of phlogiston theory. The book's length and depth suit amateur historians of science; those seeking a contemporary scholarly reassessment should look for modern studies.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Popular-science readers interested in the history of modern chemistry and the discovery of gases
Introductory readers who want to learn about Priestley's life and scientific work
Readers who prefer biographies of scientists written by professional chemists
Students who need free public-domain English eBooks for thematic reading in the history of science

Not a good fit for

Professional researchers expecting a reassessment of Priestley from a contemporary scholarly perspective
Readers who want only light, story-driven biography and do not care about scientific detail
Those seeking a systematic chemistry textbook or laboratory manual

Reading tips

Read the chapters on Priestley's discovery of oxygen first, then look back at his early life and intellectual background
Note period ideas such as phlogiston theory to understand the tension between his discoveries and his explanations
Use a timeline of modern chemistry to place the figure in the scientific context of the eighteenth century
After reading, summarize his scientific contributions and intellectual stance in your own words to test your understanding

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Does this book focus on scientific contributions or on life story?

Judging from the chemist identity of the author Thorpe and the book's chemistry classification, it covers both life and scientific work, with a fairly insider's account of Priestley's chemical experiments and ideas. It is not a purely story-driven biography, and readers should have some interest in the history of science, such as gas discovery and phlogiston theory.

What is Priestley best known for?

In public-domain common knowledge, Priestley is famed for discovering oxygen and other gases, and he also wrote on religion and political thought. The book touches on these aspects in narrating his life. While reading, note how he explained experimental phenomena within the phlogiston framework of his time, which is where the interest of the history of science lies.

Can I understand this book without a chemistry background?

It can be read as an introduction. The book is biographical, mostly narrating his life and experiments, and does not require advanced chemical knowledge. If concepts such as phlogiston theory and gas experiments are entirely unfamiliar, reading a short overview of the history of modern chemistry first will make it smoother.

What are the features of this eBook text?

The book is released by Project Gutenberg as a free public-domain eBook in plain text, and may lack illustrations or modern annotations. The language is English, preserving the style of early scientific biography. It is advisable to keep a timeline of chemistry at hand and to tolerate minor typesetting or spelling variations.

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About the author

Thorpe, T. E. (Thomas Edward), 1845-1925 Author

Thomas Edward Thorpe (1845–1925) was a British chemist and writer on the history of science, though details of his life are limited in publicly available sources. Five of his works are held in this collection, focusing on the history of chemistry and biographies of notable chemists. His two-volume History of Chemistry offers a systematic account of the discipline's development, while his biographies of Joseph Priestley, Humphry Davy, and Henry Enfield Roscoe examine the lives and scientific contributions of these figures, illuminating the ideas and experimental work of the period in which modern chemistry took shape. Thorpe's writing is distinguished by careful use of historical sources and a plain narrative style that places individuals within the broader evolution of chemistry, making his works a useful reference for understanding the history of the field.