The Stranger and the Statesman: James Smithson, John Quincy Adams, and the Making of America's Greatest Museum: The Smithsonian
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.63 (663 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0060002417 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 320 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2017-04-19 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
Disappointing Michael E. Fitzgerald People want to like this book. I definitely had it on a "to do" list for quite a while. Could there be anything more interesting than John Quincy Adams, James Smithson and the founding of America's greatest scientific institution, the Smithsonian?James Smithson was a reclusive figure and to be fair little was known about him so the author did not have much to go on. But why fill this work with innocuous filler? The author should have concentrated this work on the embarrassing shenanigans surrounding Smithson's bequest once the money reached America and go on from there. There is plenty to fill a 267 page book . History we should know. I was not aware that an Englishman donated the funds to start the Smithsonian Museum. I found it interesting that the lifestyle of the nobility in England lead to this donation and that politics in the US delayed the use of the funds. I would have rated the book as 5 stars except for the repetition of many details.. VMSmith said The book describes the amazing and unlikely set of circumstances that led to the. The book describes the amazing and unlikely set of circumstances that led to the American Treasure, The Smithsonian. It is very informative.
In 1829, a wealthy English naturalist named James Smithson left his library, mineral collection, and entire fortune to the "United States of America, to found an establishment for the increase & diffusion of Knowledge among men" -- even though he had never visited the United States or known any Americans. She also reveals the efforts of the unsung heroes, mainly former president John Quincy Adams, whose tireless efforts finally saw Smithson's curious notion realized in 1846, with a castle housing the United States' first and greatest cultural and scientific establishment.. Detailed are his imprisonment -- simply for being an Englishman in the wrong place, his experiences in the gambling dens of France, and
Smithson, born in 1765, was the illegitimate son of the Duke of Northumberland, and Burleigh meticulously examines the legal and cultural restrictions placed on illegitimate sons in England. Those welcoming the gift were led by Congressman John Quincy Adams, who worked tirelessly to enact the legislation founding the Smithsonian Institution, which was finally passed in 1846. 8 pages of b&w photos not seen by PW.Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. . He was fortunate in his choice of scientific mentors, too, having studied with intellectual giants such as James Hutton and Henry Cavendish. While Burleigh takes us on a diverting historical jaunt, there simply isn't enough factual information about his protagonist to make the story compelling. After 320 pages, James Smithson and his bequest remain shrouded in mystery. After
Burleigh's journalism career covers twenty years of local and national politics, law, crime, and popular culture. . Burleigh lives in New York and Paris with her husband, Erik Freeland, a photographer, and their children. Her articles have appeared in Time, People, US Weekly, the Washington Post, Elle, and New York magazine. Nina Burleigh is a journalist and the author of A Very Private Woman: The Life and Unsolved Murder of Mary Meyer. She has