I took forever to read it (hardback books don't go on the subway and must be read at home) but it was worth the long haul. There's a lot to learn here about this period and it was all pretty fascinating. I had no idea Uranus was discovered by a woman. I might have gotten a little more excited about science class as a child if I had. What stands out for me the most is the supreme dedication to science that all of the people mentioned here have. The risks they took, the hours and hours of study and waiting and watching and experimenting and failures all moved me. Balloons, Mining Lamps, Explorations, Telescopes. That's what's up here. And the people who made them happen.