Heather Ewing 112576

The Lost World of James Smithson

Bloomsbury, 2007. Gekartonneerd met stofomslag. Pp: 432. In 1836 the United States government received a strange and unprecedented gift- a half-million dollar bequest to establish a foundation in Washington for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men. The Smithsonian Institution, as it would be called, eventually grew into the largest museum and research complex in the world. Yet the man behind what became America's attic, James Smithson, has remained a shadowy figure for more than 150 years. Drawing on unpublished diaries and letters from across Europe and the United States, historian Heather Ewing tells his compelling story in full. ISBN: 9780747576532. Cond./Kwaliteit: Goed.

De SlegteProfessional seller

Book number: 1713451

Catalogue: Geschiedenis

Keywords: 9780747576532

EWING, HEATHER

The Lost World of James Smithson : Science, Revolution, and the Birth of the Smithsonian

London, Bloomsbury, 2007. Ed.: First American Edition, 24.5 cm. Hardcover. ISBN: 1596910291. Hardcover, very good condition, w. v. lightly slanted, v. ltly compressed sp. V. ltly tanned p. edges. Clean, tight, unmarked. Dj very good, ltly rubbed, sme lt marks. Sme v. lt edgwr, bending at top and bottom. In new mylar Brodart jacket. Very Good/Very Good.

George Cross BooksProfessional seller

Book number: 37475

Catalogue: Science

Keywords: Science 1596910291

Ewing, Heather P.

The lost world of James Smithson : science, revolution, and the birth of the Smithsonian

London ; New York : Bloomsbury 2007. First Edition. In 1836 the United States government received a strange and unprecedented gift--a half-million dollar bequest to establish a foundation in Washington 'for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men. ' The Smithsonian Institution. as it would be called. eventually grew into the largest museum and research complex in the world. Yet the man behind what became 'America's attic. ' James Smithson. has remained a shadowy figure for more than 150 years. Drawing on unpublished diaries and letters from across Europe and the United States. historian Heather Ewing tells his compelling story in full. The illegitimate son of the Duke of Northumberland. Smithson was the youngest member of Britain's Royal Society and a talented chemist admired by the greatest scientists of his age. At the same time. however. he was also a suspected spy. an inveterate gambler. and a radical revolutionary during the turbulent years of the Napoleonic Wars. But at the heart of Smithson's story is his bequest--worth $9 million in today in today's currency--which sparked an international lawsuit and a decade-long congressional battle. featuring a dizzying cast of historical figures. including John Quincy Adams. and Alexander Graham Bell. both of whom grappled with how--and even whether--to put Smithson's endowment to use. Fascinating and magisterial. Ewing's biography presents a sweeping portrait of a remarkable man at the center of the English Enlightenment and the creation of America's greatest museum. Heather Ewing is an architectural historian. She has worked for the Smithsonian and the Ringling Museum of Art. She lives in New York. In 1836. the United States government received a strange and unprecedented gift--a half-million dollar bequest to establish a foundation in Washington 'for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men. ' The Smithsonian Institution. as it would be called. eventually grew into the largest museum and research complex in the world. Yet the man behind what became 'America's attic. ' James Smithson. has remained a shadowy figure for more than 150 years. Drawing on unpublished diaries and letters from across Europe and the United States. historian Heather Ewing tells his compelling story in full. The illegitimate son of the Duke of Northumberland. Smithson was the youngest member of Britain's Royal Society and a talented chemist admired by the greatest scientists of his age. At the same time. however. he was also a suspected spy. an inveterate gambler. and a radical revolutionary during the turbulent years of the Napoleonic Wars. But at the heart of Smithson's story is his bequest--worth $9 million in today's currency--which sparked an international lawsuit and a decade-long congressional battle. featuring a dizzying cast of historical figures. including John Quincy Adams and Alexander Graham Bell. both of whom grappled with how--and even whether--to put Smithson's endowment to use. Fascinating and magisterial. Ewing's biography presents a sweeping portrait of a remarkable man at the center of the English Enlightenment and the creation of America's greatest museum. An exceptional copy; fine in an equally fine dw. now mylar-sleeved. Particularly and surprisingly well-preserved; tight. bright. clean and especially sharp-cornered. Literally as new.; 432 pages; Description: 432 p. : ill.ports. ; 25 cm. Includes bibliographical references (p. [354]-412) and index. Subjects: Smithson. James (1765-1829) --Smithsonian Institution --Science --Great Britain --Biography.ISBN: 074757653X.

MW BooksProfessional seller

Book number: 154836

Keywords: 074757653X

EWING, HEATHER.

The Lost World of James Smithson: Science, Revolution, and the Birth of the Smithsonian.

London, Bloomsbury, 2007. First published. Hardcover with dustjacket. 434 pages. NEW COPY

Antiquariaat Frans MelkProfessional seller

Book number: 62921

Keywords: Geschiedenis (History) / General ; ISBN10: z

Ewing, Heather

The Lost World of James Smithson - Science, Revolution, and the Birth of the Smithsonian

London, Bloomsbury - hardcover, with dustjacket - ex-libris on first page, else as new - ex-libris op schutvel, verder vrijwel NIEUWSTAAT, 2007 1e druk.

Antiquariaat CoriovallumProfessional seller

Book number: 87678

Catalogue: Historie

Ewing, Heather

The lost world of James Smithson. Science, Revolution and the birth of the Smithsonian.

London, Bloomsbury. 2007. Hardcover. Very Good. l 433 p. Henry Hungerford died in 1834, unmarried, without children and without notable accomplishment. But his death was extraordinary good luck for the United States, because it led to the creation of the Smithsonian Institution. Hungerford was the nephew and heir of an odd rich man who lived more than half his life under the name James Macie, but changed it at age 35 to James Smithson. Smithson, who died in 1829, left his fortune to Hungerford, but made the U.S. his secondary legatee if Hungerford died without issue. The U.S., the will said, was to use the money to create a Smithsonian Institution, an Establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men. Smithson, an Englishman who never visited this country, has always seemed a shadowy figure, in large part because most of his papers were destroyed in a fire at the Smithsonian in 1865. But author Heather Ewing, an architectural historian who has worked for the Smithsonian, has risen to the biographical challenge in The Lost World of James Smithson. She has exhumed letters, diaries, bank records and government documents throughout Europe and the U.S. that add up to a clear picture of our cultural benefactor. (Review by Anne Bartlett) The book is in excellent state.

Gamander Antiquariaat [Psweloveyou]Professional seller

Book number: 150039

Catalogue: Biography & Autobiography

EWING, HEATHER

The Lost World of James Smithson: Science, Revolution, and the Birth of the Smithsonian

Bloomsbury USA, 2007-04-03. Hardcover. As new clean tight and bright Please email for photos.. New .

Griffin BooksProfessional seller

Book number: 96333

Ewing, Heather

The lost world of James Smithson: science, revolution and the birth of the Smithsonian

Bloomsbury, 2007.1st edition.Hard covers, dust jacket.ISBN: 9780747576532.Fine/Fine.Biography of the natural son of the Duke of Northumberland whose mother imbued in him a love of science.His hitherto mysterious early life is here revealed and dissected in considerable detail.His legacy, the Smithsonian Museum, was paradoxically the reason for the mystery, since a fire destroyed his personal archives, setting his biographer a stiff challenge.Heather Ewing has succeeded magnificently.xi, 432, (2) pp.In English.1.0 kg.

Acanthophyllum BooksProfessional seller

Book number: 39708

Catalogue: Biographies

Keywords: 9780747576532