Galileo Galilei, The Tuscan Artist

This book is a distinctively original biography of Galileo Galilei, probably the last eclectic genius of the Italian Renaissance, who was not only one of the greatest scientists ever, but also a philosopher, a theologian, and a man of great literary, musical, and artistic talent - -The Tuscan Artist-, as the poet John Milton referred to him. Galileo was exceptional in simultaneously excelling in the Arts, Science, Philosophy, and Theology. These diverse aspects of his life were closely intertwined; indeed, it may be said that he personally demonstrated that human culture is not divisible, but rather one, with a thousand shades. Galileo also represented the bridge between two historical epochs. As the philosopher Tommaso Campanella, a contemporary of Galileo, recognized at the time, Galileo was responsible for ushering in a new age, the Modern Age. This book, which is exceptional in the completeness of its coverage, explores all aspects of the life of Galileo, as a Tuscan artist andgiant of the Renaissance, in a stimulating and reader-friendly way.

Pietro Greco is a science journalist and writer. He holds a degree in Chemistry and directed the Master in Science Communications program at SISSA. From 2006 to 2008, he was Advisor to the Ministry of Universities and Research. He is a famous speaker on the radio show Radio3 Scienza. Since 1987 he has collaborated with the newspaper L'Unità and, since 2007, with Greenreport.it online newspaper. He was co-author and scientific director of some television episodes of the program Pulsar. Storia della scienza e della tecnica nel XX secolo, and X Day, I grandi della scienza del Novecento, aired between 1999 and 2002. He is the author of numerous books including: L'astro narrante (Springer) L'universo a dondolo (Springer), Galileo l'artista toscano (Springer 2014), and La cultura si mangia! with Bruno Arpaia as co-author (Guanda 2013).

Galileo's birth.- Music at the time of Vincenzio Galilei.- Vincenzio in Florence.- Galileo in Pisa.- A Novice in Monastery.- Challenging Zarlino.- Return to Pisa.- Galileo meeting Ostilio Ricci.- A young unemployed Mathematician.- Galileo as a literary critic.- Galileo's first approach to a new method.- Teaching in Pisa.- Galileo as a literary critic and writer.- The best eighteen years of his age.- A Tuscan artist in Padua.- The Nova Star.- A Sidereus Nuncius.- An artists' warning.- New projects.- Galileo superstar.- Vicisti Galilaee!.- Galileo as a mathematician and philosopher in Florence.- Galileo's triumph in Rome.- Converting the Church.- A theory of culture.- You cannot prevent humankind from looking at the stars: the Copernican Letters.- They silence him.- Three comets and an Assayer.- The censored masterpiece.- Will to live.- Galileo's Dialogues and music.- Galileo's last years.- The Enigma.