December 2005    

Miss Leavitt's Stars: The Untold Story of the Woman Who Discovered How to Measure the Universe Author: George Johnson Publisher: W.W. Norton & Co. $22.95 Cloth (162 p.) ISBN: 0393051285 B&T         YBP Reviewed by David White, Customer Service Bibliographer The subtitle of this book is prophetic - there is such little information available about Henrietta Leavitt, that biographically speaking it is still an 'Untold Story'. George Johnson searched for any available information about Leavitt, but was stymied by a dearth of resources. Normally this would negatively impact a book, but Johnson shifts the story to Leavitt's accomplishments at the turn of the last century. He focuses on the importance of her discovery - how to use certain classes of variable stars as 'yard sticks' in measuring astronomical distance. Johnson then weaves Leavitt's discovery into the raging debate of her time on the size of our galaxy and of the universe. Johnson fills out the story with other players of the day - astronomers Harlow Shapley and Edwin Hubble, Edward Pickering and Henry Russell. As he outlines the rival theories, he continually brings us back to the work of Leavitt. Her work was the basis from which each succeeding theory began, even while they often diverged hugely in their assumptions afterwards. We are left with a wonderful history of astronomy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, short biographical bits of preeminent astronomers of the day, and at least a passing knowledge of the human 'computers', almost all women, that performed much of the menial - yet vital - computational work that allowed astronomical knowledge to flourish. This book is recommended for Astronomy and Physical Science collections, as well as general science readers. Published by YBP Library Services 999 Maple St., Contoocook, NH 03229 USA v: 800.258.3774   f: 603.746.5628 w: www.ybp.com   e: academia@ybp.com All rights reserved.