Book Description
In late nineteenth-century America, Simon Newcomb was the nation's most celebrated scientist and--irascibly, doggedly, tirelessly--he made the most of it. Officially a mathematical astronomer heading a government agency, Newcomb spent as much of his life out of the observatory as in it, acting as a spokesman for the nascent but restive scientific community of his time.
Newcomb saw the "scientific method" as a potential guide for all disciplines and a basis for all practical action, and argued passionately that it was of as much use in the halls of Congress as in the laboratory. In so doing, he not only sparked popular support for American science but also confronted a wide spectrum of social, cultural, and intellectual issues. This first full-length study of Newcomb traces the development of his faith in science and ranges over topics of great public debate in the Gilded Age, from the reform of economic theory to the recasting of the debate between science and religion. Moyer's portrait of a restless, eager mind also illuminates the bustle of late nineteenth-century America. ... Read more

Book Description
Recounts Simon Newcomb's climb from a penniless immigrant to the most renowned American astronomer of the 19th century, with never before published details of his family and professional lives, including his friendship with Congressman, and later President, James A. Garfield. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Solid Workmanlike Effort
This is a book almost without flaws, a solid workmanlike effort, but somehow I was slightly disappointed.I knew who Simon Newcomb was and was aware of his contributions to the development of timescales and positional astronomy.

I read the Carters' previous book, "Latitude" and was completely smitten.This book lacks the compelling narrative style of that volume.Maybe I had set my hopes too high.

The book is a biography, very much in the traditional sense.However, rather than a chronological catalog of events, the chapters are a series of articles about major milestones in the life of Simon Newcomb, arranged in chronological order.There is, of course, some overlap but I found this approach both clever and very satisfying.

The authors are manifestly technically literate but the technical content is very, very low.Tastes vary, but I personally would have liked more.

The bad bits:

I would have enjoyed the book infinitely (ok, a lot) more if there were illustrations and photographs!Not one.Not even a photograph of the subject.[...] Just a B&W reproduction of a death notice, listing Newcomb's honors and associations, hardly different than plain text.

The layout is unfortunate.In several places long citations are inserted, enclosed by only a single pair of quotation marks.At least begin each paragraph of a citation with quotes, ok?I would have preferred "blockquote" style so I could easily tell where a citation began and ended without hunting for a teeny pair of goose tracks.

The authors also indulge in the habit of attributing thoughts, motives and actions to people that they could not possibly have known.(E.g., how, on opening a letter from Chandler alone in his study, Newcomb shifted his weight in his seat to find a comfortable spot.) The "third person omniscient" style is probably ok in a book aimed at high school students, but not in a serious biography. Anyway, it put me off.

Bottom line:Good read, could have been a lot better. A longer book might have been better, it transcends concise and borders on laconic in places. I definitely will buy the Carters' next book. You "should buy" this one.

Simon Newcomb
Simon Newcomb, by Bill Carter and Merri Sue Carter is the biography of a scientist who was born in 1835 and died in 1909.Simon Newcomb is a man of historical significance and the subject of his life and his achievements is a story that needed to be told.The Carters do a masterful job in doing so.As distinguished members in the same core scientific community as Newcomb, they are able to measure Newcomb's scientific achievements, present it well and give credit where credit is due.In Newcomb's later years, he spent "much time and energy writing popularized scientific articles, explaining complex concepts and results in terms that the public could understand and appreciate".Close to a century after his passing, the Carters give him their time and energy in honoring his life and scientific contributions.

"America's Unofficial Astronomer Royal", from the title page we see this statement and it is something worthy of exploration.I believe that in Newcomb's mind he was and through his actions you can see that it was something that he dearly wanted.Although openly taking on "the mantel of `Unofficial Astronomer Royal'", there was one thing that eluded him -the fact that he was never able to hold the title "Superintendent, U.S. Naval Observatory". The Carters depict his character so vividly that you can imagine his extreme angst never having captured this title, especially, since the opportunity was almost his for the taking until the assassination of his good friend, President Garfield.

In attempting to know why Newcomb behaved the way he did and accomplished the things that he accomplished, it is important to know the intricate details of his life.The Carters give us ample insight as to how and why he achieved so much.His youth, his father, and his relationships with men of science were constant catalysts for his desire to do more.In regards to his father, we see that he was a man that was immensely jealous of his son and belittled much of his activities and works.For Simon, he responded to this by encapsulating himself in work.Which is not too unusual, since the arguably, second most important American astronomer of this time, Seth Carlo Chandler, was incited by an intellectual rebellion against his father's wishes as well.What also fueled Newcomb to become "America's Unofficial Astronomer Royal" must have been his relationship with Airy.In this book, Airy is described as an unapproachable and uncompromising man.I believe that Newcomb was in some way in awe of Airy.The fact that he was not shunned away from Airy like others, leads me to believe that Newcomb was not openly critical of Airy and was most likely intimidated by the "Official Astronomer Royal".

What I think is most powerful in this book is its ability to show how Simon Newcomb came to be.All things considered, I believe he was a man with a strong vision.As "America's Unofficial Astronomer", he was able to execute this role to perfection.He was fully aware of what his science needed and he knew the best route to get there.A shinning example of this was his goal in measuring the distance of the earth to the sun.In doing so, he believed that a massive employment of American observers and instruments to view the transit of Venus would not be advisable for the determination of the astronomical unit.Instead he championed the idea that improving the estimate of the velocity of light would lead them to the best measure.So, learning that Albert Michelson was involved in improving upon this measure with his velocity of light experiments, Newcomb offered his assistance and I infer, his federal monetary allotment as well.As a result of their work, they were able to determine the distance from the earth to the sun about "100 times more accurately than the value obtained from the transit of Venus observations".

This book tells the story of Simon Newcomb, describes the scientific principles and techniques that were introduced, gives a distinct look at the relationships between the top scientists of the day, and manages to intertwine a political history in the process.Simon Newcomb was a person that was able to assess any given situation and make improvements to many different types of science - a bonafide polymath.He even went so far as to apply his scientific knowledge to flight, and in doing so may have come up with the idea of the blimp or "Zeppelins" as they were called at that time.I believe that Newcomb thought that there was truly nothing beyond his grasp and that his imagination and skill served science well.Although I believe that his contributions to science are vast and great, I also see him as a larger than life dynamo of his day, which is something that may be only realized by reading Simon Newcomb, by Bill Carter and Merri Sue Carter.I recommend this book to all readers.

Simon Newcomb: Astronomer Extraordinaire
Simon Newcomb is not well known to the general population but he should be.He was one of the most influential astronomers of the Nineteenth Century both in the US and Europe.This absorbing account of his life takes us from his early youth under an ineffective father through an indentured medical apprenticeship to his emergence as a world famous scientist.The authors, Bill and Merri Sue Carter, cover both his triumphs and his travails, and show the whole man, as Ben Franklin might have said, "warts and all."
In his youth Simon excelled in mathematics but was largely self-taught until he escaped his servitude in Canada and immigrated to the US, where he graduated from Harvard summa cum laude in two years, even while working at the Nautical Almanac Office.While still a resident graduate student at Harvard, Simon traveled to the wilds of Manitoba west of Lake Winnipeg to observe a total solar eclipse.In the decades that followed, he made many fundamental contributions to astronomy, including overseeing the construction of the workd's largest refractor telescope, which was used by a colleague at the U.S. Naval Observatory to discover the moons of Mars.He measured the speed of light wih Michelson, and used the result to determine the astronomical unit far more accurately than those values derived from the observations of the transits of Venus in 1874 and 1882.Later he refined the orbital elements of our Moon, and made his mark on the international scene at the Paris Conference in May 1896 where his set of solar system constants was accepted by the participants (Germany, France, England and the United states).Newcomb had a long, and sometimes antagonistic relationship with Seth Carlo Chandler, Jr., who was credited with discovering the true complexity of the variation of latitude (see "Latitude, How American Astronomers Solved the Mystery of Variaton," by the same authors).It was Newcomb who reconciled the apparent conflict between the theory and the observed variation of latitude.
Newcomb's interests stretched beyond astronomy.When his friend President James Garfield lay dying in the heat of a Washington summer, he not only devised a method to cool the room even while the doors and windows remained open, but also arranged for Alexander Graham Bell to use his induction balance to remotely probe the location of the assassin's bullet lodged in the President's body.
A short review such as this cannot do justice to the richness of this biography.It is a facinating story, and must be read by the general public as well as by scientists the world over.
John R. Herman, retired geophysicist, author of "The Metamorphosis of a Geophysicist". ... Read more

Amazon.com
The Gates of Dawn, sequel to Robert Newcomb's debut, The Fifth Sorceress, is somewhat repetitive and clunky, but significantly superior to its predecessor. Most epic fantasy fans will thrill to the sequel's action-packed plot and Newcomb's vivid imagination. However, feminists may want to avoid The Gates of Dawn, since its large cast has only three semi-important female characters (all passive). The squeamish should note that Newcomb can be very tough on his characters, and that the magic of his fantasy world depends on blood--sometimes a lot of blood.

Prince Tristan, the Chosen One of ancient prophecy, has defeated the vicious Sisters of the Coven, but at enormous cost. Thousands have been slaughtered, his twin sister is gravely ill, they're both in hiding, and the Chosen One's vast magical power is of little use--he is still untrained. If these aren't troubles enough, Prince Tristan has an active, deadly enemy he doesn't even know exists: a trained wizard who is, astonishingly, even more powerful than the Chosen One. The hidden wizard has an intimate connection to Tristan that the prince could never have imagined. And he is restoring life to the evil souls of the still-potent Guild of Heretics, an act that requires raising the notorious Gates of Dawn and consecrating them with magically endowed blood--the blood of the Chosen One, Prince Tristan. --Cynthia WardBook Description
Epic fantasy found an exhilarating new voice in Robert Newcomb, whose monumental debut novel, The Fifth Sorceress, was hailed by readers and critics alike. And now, for all those spellbound by the tale of Prince Tristan, heir to the throne of Eutracia, his twin sister Princess Shailiha, the ancient wizard Wigg, and the fate of their enchanted land, there is indeed more—much more—to be told. . . .

THE GATES OF DAWN

For three centuries, Eutracia was a kingdom at peace, ruled by a benevolent monarchy and guided by a council of wizards. But a horror from the past, long believed vanquished, returned with devastating fury. And when the battle against the bloodthirsty Sorceresses of the Coven was finally won, victory was not without its price. Now, the royal palace lies in ruins; the king and queen, the royal guard, and the Directorate of Wizards are dead; the land is lawless; and Prince Tristan— forced by the Coven to murder his father, the King—is a wanted man.

In a cavernous underground labyrinth, once headquarters of the wizards’ council, Tristan has taken refuge with his sister, Shailiha, her infant daughter, the wizard Wigg—the lone surviving member of the Directorate—and the crippled wizard Faegan, returned from self-imposed exile in the forest of Shadowood. Together they face the daunting task of restoring order to Eutracia and winning back the allegiance of her subjects. But suddenly, even these challenges pale beside a truly terrifying turn of events. The sacred jewel that is the source of all magic has inexplicably begun to lose its power. Without its age-old enchantment to sustain their spells, the immortal wizards will perish . . . and magic will vanish from Eutracia forever.

At the same time, a mysterious and ruthless mercenary has declared a bounty upon the head of Prince Tristan. And an army of wizards on a mission to rid Eutracia of monsters created by the Coven has fallen prey to an insidious breed of creatures—beings that can only have sprung from forbidden use of malevolent magic. With time and their powers dwindling, Wigg and Faegan desperately seek to discover who, or what, has succeeded the dead Sorceresses in laying siege to Eutracia. But when the shocking truth is revealed, and an evil that transcends life itself is made known, it is Tristan, more than any other, who will be stunned to his very soul. And it is Tristan who will be thrust into the ultimate battle—for his life, his land, and the course of his destiny.


From the Hardcover edition.Download Description

Epic fantasy found an exhilarating new voice in Robert Newcomb, whose monumental debut novel, The Fifth Sorceress, was hailed by readers and critics alike. And now, for all those spellbound by the tale of Prince Tristan, heir to the throne of Eutracia, his twin sister Princess Shailiha, the ancient wizard Wigg, and the fate of their enchanted land, there is indeed more—much more—to be told....

For three centuries, Eutracia was a kingdom at peace, ruled by a benevolent monarchy and guided by a council of wizards. But a horror from the past, long believed vanquished, returned with devastating fury. And when the battle against the bloodthirsty Sorceresses of the Coven was finally won, victory was not without its price. Now, the royal palace lies in ruins; the king and queen, the royal guard, and the Directorate of Wizards are dead; the land is lawless; and Prince Tristan—forced by the Coven to murder his father, the King—is a wanted man.

In a cavernous underground labyrinth, once headquarters of the wizards' council, Tristan has taken refuge with his sister, Shailiha, her infant daughter, the wizard Wigg—the lone surviving member of the Directorate—and the crippled wizard Faegan, returned from self-imposed exile in the forest of Shadowood. Together they face the daunting task of restoring order to Eutracia and winning back the allegiance of her subjects. But suddenly, even these challenges pale beside a truly terrifying turn of events. The sacred jewel that is the source of all magic has inexplicably begun to lose its power. Without its age-old enchantment to sustain their spells, the immortal wizards will perish... and magic will vanish from Eutracia forever.

At the same time, a mysterious and ruthless mercenary has declared a bounty upon the head of Prince Tristan. And an army of wizards on a mission to rid Eutracia of monsters created by the Coven has fallen prey to an insidious breed of creatures—beings that can only have sprung from forbidden use of malevolent magic. With time and their powers dwindling, Wigg and Faegan desperately seek to discover who, or what, has succeeded the dead Sorceresses in laying siege to Eutracia. But when the shocking truth is revealed, and an evil that transcends life itself is made known, it is Tristan, more than any other, who will be stunned to his very soul. And it is Tristan who will be thrust into the ultimate battle—for his life, his land, and the course of his destiny.

Customer Reviews (33)

Gates Of Dawn
Gates Of Dawn

For three centuries, Eutracia was at peace, ruled by a benevolent king and governed by a council of wizards, but a horror from the past, long believed vanquished, returned with a devastating fury.Sound like good stuff?You'll enjoy this book.

Highly recommended for fans of Robert Newcomb.

GunnerDecember 2007

Cumbersome and cluttered with disengaging phrases
Oh this was disingenuous fantasy. Newcomb appears to have no grasp of consistency or of the genre. I kept being thrown out of the book by simple things like knives pulled from "quivers" (Knives and daggers come form sheaths, braces, boots. Arrows come from quivers. A quiver may have a knife sheath on it but even then a quiver-knife comes from its sheath).
AlsoI was annoyed by the excessive use of made up phrases for ordinary things like the name of a season (something "crystal") when a simple word like "winter" would have sufficed.
If there is a festival or a cultural event during winter known as "blah-blah crystal" that is fine, but in this book it appeared that some simple things were made obscure just to make them seem exotic somehow.
Other inconsistencies that made me put the book down time after time were things like Tristan's sister being able to telepathically talk to butterflies as well as the crafted bird-like creatures, but for some reason the minions ("of day and night") don't have any immediate bond with her or any telepathic communication with her. Why is that so? I gathered from reading what I could that she was "forestalled" to be one their mistresses, (oh may be he's saving that for book three).
I could go on but I think I mostly agree with the review that lists other possible ways that the ubber-villain could stupidly die at just the right moment.
Perhaps the villain could suddenly explode for no apparent reason and then later while the good guys are licking their wounds they could just sit around and say that they have no idea what the `fraggle'. (Read that 'what the heck happened' - Gee its fun to make up nonsense phrases).
Finally the clincher of how bad this was. I only read this second book but from the beginning to the end there was a need for the protagonist to learn the Craft because he has the wunderblud that will make him the greatest, and by the end of the book he still hasn't done anything about it.
The hero sucked and was never in control of anything- much like the writing style of the book itself.

Just my opinion,
Stanley

The Gates of Dawn is an absolute must read!!!!
Robert Newcomb is an overwhelmingly awesome author. I can honestly say that the Fifth Sorceress series is one of my top three all-time favorites! He combines mystery with an "on-the-edge-of-your-seat" story. If I could only recommend only one book to you right now, I would, without hesitation, recommend The Fifth Sorceress! If you like Garth Nix, the Harry Potter series, or The Lord of the Rings like I do, then you will absolutely adore this book!

Not worth the pain
After dragging myself through the first book which was ponderous and hard to become interested in, I decided to give #2 a try.BIG MISTAKE!I should have read all of the reviews first, because I would have learned what a slow, poorly written mistake this book was. The hero is a bumbling hothead who gets himself into trouble, and his friends, through amazing leaps of logic, devise the trouble he is in and how to get him out of it without telling him first.The villan accidentally kills himself at the end as the hero lies dying... not much of a struggle, there.It was frustrating to go through all those pages only to find that the characters could have sat on their butts and got to the same conclusion without going through so much trouble.Don't bother.

Very UNDERwhelming
OK... I work in a 9 to 5 job and read books for a way to relax and wind down. So, typically, books with the same old themes and one dimensional characters don't bother me- I could use a little mindless relaxation...right?

When I finished with the first book's "arching eyebrow" annoyances, I gave the author the benefit of the doubt and bought the second book. Error.

How anti-climatic can you get?! Watch out, I might spoil this one for you- but the all powerful anti-hero, in essence, blows himself up. No classic struggle... nothing.

Newcomb, I have some ideas for future book endings where good prevails over an omnipotent evil foe:
1) The great villain could cut himself shaving and die of a rare infectious disease.
2) The great villain could get thrown from a horse and break his neck.
3) The great villain could trip near a desk and stab himself in the eye with his letter opener.
4) Heart attacks are always good.... It could be the final show down with the hero and the villain could have a heart attack from all the stress that comes from trying to takeover the world!

Save your time and go get a root canal; it will feel better than this book. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document, covering the life and work of Simon Newcomb, is an entry from Contemporary Authors, a reference volume published by Thomson Gale. The length of the entry is 3075 words. The page length listed above is based on a typical 300-word page. Although the exact content of each entry from this volume can vary, typical entries include the following information:

• Place and date of birth and death (if deceased)
• Family members
• Education
• Professional associations and honors
• Employment
• Writings, including books and periodicals
• A description of the author's work
• References to further readings about the author

Product Description
This volume is produced from digital images created through the University of Michigan University LibraryÕs preservation reformatting program. ... Read more

Book Description
Recounts Simon Newcomb’s climb from a penniless immigrant to the most renowned American astronomer of the 19th century, with never before published details of his family and professional lives, including his friendship with Congressman, and later President, James A. Garfield. ... Read more