Chasing Venus, Andrea Wulf (ISBN 978-009953832-5, Windmill Books)

This book came out in 2012 when there was another transit of Venus approaching and describes the attempts in the eighteenth century to measure the transit of Venus to determine the size of the solar system. I read this book in a Dutch translation at the end of 2014 the first time and recently read it again in the original English version. I found this a wonderful book in 2014 and today after having read the book again I see no reason to change my opinion. It was the first book by Andrea Wulf that I read and her writing was so good that we kept an eye out for other books by Andrea. I haven’t read all of her books but between me and my wife we have read four other books by her and so far all of them were good. Chasing Venus is a little bit about the history of astronomy but mainly about the rise of international cooperation in science. In the second half of the 18th century while European nations were at war scientists from France, England, Russia and Sweden to name a few joined forces in an attempt to measure the transit of Venus on various places on the earth in order to determine the size of the solar system. They had 2 opportunities, in 1761 and in 1769 after which they would have to wait for another 100 years for the next opportunity. The book reads as a race against the clock with hundreds of astronomers traveling sometimes for years in difficult and dangerous circumstances to reach their destinations to observe the transit only to be denied a clear view by clouds. This is a tale of adventure, commitment, idealism and sacrifice showing humanity at its best. So even if you don’t like non fiction, science or history then this book could still be for you. I recommend it without hesitation.