Reviews

Great Minds of Ancient Science and Math series. These well-documented biographies surround their subjects with considerable historical context. Eratosthenes, as head of the Library of Alexandria, not only calculated Earth's measurements but also wrote poetry. Galen, "first among physicians" in second-century Greece, insisted that doctors learn anatomy, not just theory. Captioned illustrations are generally helpful; a few experiments conclude each volume. The writing, though straightforward, is fairly dull. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind., The Horn Book Guide Fall 2009