Dava Sobel: Difference between revisions
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{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2013}} | {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2013}} | ||
{{Infobox person | {{Infobox person | ||
| name | | name = Dava Sobel | ||
| image | | image = Dava Sobel 2015.jpg | ||
| caption | | caption = Sobel in 2015 | ||
| birth_name | | birth_name = | ||
| birth_date | | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1947|6|15}}<ref>{{cite web|title = Self-Portrait|last = Sobel|first = Dava|url=http://davasobel.com/?page_id=547|access-date=December 26, 2013}}</ref> | ||
| birth_place | | birth_place = [[The Bronx]], New York City, U.S. | ||
| death_date | | death_date = | ||
| death_place | | death_place = | ||
| death_cause | | death_cause = | ||
| other_names | | other_names = | ||
| known_for | | known_for = | ||
| education | | education = [[Bronx High School of Science]] | ||
| | | alma_mater = [[Binghamton University]] | ||
| occupation | | occupation = | ||
| spouse | | spouse = | ||
| partner | | partner = | ||
| children | | children = | ||
| parents | | parents = | ||
| relatives | | relatives = [[Ruth Gruber]] (aunt); [[David Michaels (epidemiologist)|David Michaels]] (cousin) | ||
| signature | | signature = Dava Sobel signature.svg | ||
| awards | | awards = Guggenheim Fellowship for Natural Sciences, US & Canada, Klumpke-Roberts Award | ||
| website | | website = {{Official URL}} | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''Dava Sobel''' (born June 15, 1947) is an American writer of popular expositions of scientific topics. Her books include ''[[Longitude (book)|Longitude]]'', about English clockmaker [[John Harrison]]; ''[[Galileo's Daughter]]'', about [[Galileo]]'s daughter [[Maria Celeste]]; and ''The Glass Universe: How the Ladies of the Harvard Observatory Took the Measure of the Stars'' about the [[Harvard Computers]]. | '''Dava Sobel''' (born June 15, 1947) is an American writer of popular expositions of scientific topics. Her books include ''[[Longitude (book)|Longitude]]'', about English clockmaker [[John Harrison]]; ''[[Galileo's Daughter]]'', about [[Galileo]]'s daughter [[Maria Celeste]]; and ''The Glass Universe: How the Ladies of the Harvard Observatory Took the Measure of the Stars'' about the [[Harvard Computers]]. | ||
==Biography== | ==Biography== | ||
Sobel was born in [[The Bronx]], New York City. She graduated from the [[Bronx High School of Science]] and [[Binghamton University]]. She wrote ''[[Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time]]'' in 1995. The story was made into a television movie | Sobel was born in [[The Bronx]], New York City. She graduated from the [[Bronx High School of Science]] and [[Binghamton University]]. She wrote ''[[Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time]]'' in 1995. The story was made into a television movie [[Longitude (TV series)|of the same name]] by [[Charles Sturridge]] and [[Granada Productions|Granada Film]] in 1999, and was shown in the United States by [[A&E (TV network)|A&E]]. | ||
Her book ''[[Galileo's Daughter: A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith, and Love]]'' was a finalist for the 2000 [[Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.pulitzer.org/prize-winners-by-category/222 | title = The Pulitzer Prizes: Biography or Autobiography | access-date = 2017-04-20}}</ref> | Her book ''[[Galileo's Daughter: A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith, and Love]]'' was a finalist for the 2000 [[Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.pulitzer.org/prize-winners-by-category/222 | title = The Pulitzer Prizes: Biography or Autobiography | access-date = 2017-04-20}}</ref> In 2005, Sobel published ''[[Galileo's Daughter: A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith, and Love|The Planets]]'', her most ambitious topic to date. In this ''[[The New York Times|New York Times]]'' extended best seller, Sobel explores the origins and oddities of the planets through the lenses of both science and popular culture, from astrology, mythology, and science fiction to art, music, poetry, biography, and history. | ||
[[File:Dava Sobel, November 8, 2007.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.8|Dava Sobel in November 2007]] | [[File:Dava Sobel, November 8, 2007.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.8|Dava Sobel in November 2007]] | ||
She holds [[Doctor of Humane Letters|honorary doctor of letters]] degrees from the [[University of Bath]] and [[Middlebury College]], Vermont, both awarded in 2002.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dava Sobel Biography |url=http://www.davasobel.com/about_bio.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111206022609/http://www.davasobel.com/about_bio.php |archive-date=December 6, 2011 |df=mdy }}</ref> | She holds [[Doctor of Humane Letters|honorary doctor of letters]] degrees from the [[University of Bath]] and [[Middlebury College]], Vermont, both awarded in 2002.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dava Sobel Biography |url=http://www.davasobel.com/about_bio.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111206022609/http://www.davasobel.com/about_bio.php |archive-date=December 6, 2011 |df=mdy }}</ref> | ||
Sobel made her first foray into teaching at the [[University of Chicago]] as the Vare Writer-in-Residence in the winter of 2006. She taught a one-quarter seminar on writing | Sobel made her first foray into teaching at the [[University of Chicago]] as the Vare Writer-in-Residence in the winter of 2006. She taught a one-quarter seminar on science writing. | ||
She served as a judge for the [[PEN/E. O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award]] in 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pen.org/blog/announcing-2012-pen-literary-awards-recipients |title=Announcing the 2012 PEN Literary Award Recipients |date=October 15, 2012 |access-date=February 6, 2013 |work=[[PEN American Center]]}}</ref> | She served as a judge for the [[PEN/E. O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award]] in 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pen.org/blog/announcing-2012-pen-literary-awards-recipients |title=Announcing the 2012 PEN Literary Award Recipients |date=October 15, 2012 |access-date=February 6, 2013 |work=[[PEN American Center]] |archive-date=April 8, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408174941/http://www.pen.org/blog/announcing-2012-pen-literary-awards-recipients |url-status=dead }}</ref> | ||
Sobel is the niece of journalist [[Ruth Gruber]]<ref>{{cite news|last1=Brawarsky|first1=Sandee|title=100 Years of Asking Questions|url=https://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/100-years-of-asking-questions-2/|access-date=March 14, 2019|work=[[The Jewish Week]]|location=New York City|date=November 22, 2016}}</ref> and the cousin of epidemiologist [[David Michaels (epidemiologist)|David Michaels]]. | Sobel is the niece of journalist [[Ruth Gruber]]<ref>{{cite news|last1=Brawarsky|first1=Sandee|title=100 Years of Asking Questions|url=https://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/100-years-of-asking-questions-2/|access-date=March 14, 2019|work=[[The Jewish Week]]|location=New York City|date=November 22, 2016}}</ref> and the cousin of epidemiologist [[David Michaels (epidemiologist)|David Michaels]]. | ||
==Legacy== | ==Legacy== | ||
Asteroid [[30935 Davasobel]], discovered by [[Carolyn S. Shoemaker]] and [[David H. Levy]] was named after her for her literary work in physics.<ref name=":0" /> | Asteroid [[30935 Davasobel]], discovered by [[Carolyn S. Shoemaker]] and [[David H. Levy]], was named after her for her literary work in physics.<ref name=":0" /> | ||
Sobel states she is a chaser of [[solar eclipse]]s and that "it's the closest thing to witnessing a miracle". As of August 2012 she had seen eight, and planned to see the [[Solar eclipse of November 13, 2012|November 2012 total solar eclipse]] in Australia.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|title=Transcript|work=[[Jennifer Byrne Presents]]: Dava Sobel|url=http://www.abc.net.au/tv/firsttuesday/s3576835.htm#transcript|access-date=August 29, 2012}}</ref> | Sobel states that she is a chaser of [[solar eclipse]]s and that "it's the closest thing to witnessing a miracle". As of August 2012 she had seen eight, and planned to see the [[Solar eclipse of November 13, 2012|November 2012 total solar eclipse]] in Australia.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|title=Transcript|work=[[Jennifer Byrne Presents]]: Dava Sobel|url=http://www.abc.net.au/tv/firsttuesday/s3576835.htm#transcript|access-date=August 29, 2012}}</ref> | ||
==Publications== | ==Publications== | ||
{{external media| float = right| video1 = [https://www.c-span.org/video/?86908-1/longitude Presentation by Sobel on ''Longitude'', June 17, 1997], [[C-SPAN]]| video2 = [https://www.c-span.org/video/?116077-1/longitude ''Booknotes'' interview with Sobel on ''Longitude'', January 17, 1999], [[C-SPAN]]| video3 = [https://www.c-span.org/video/?154176-1/galileos-daughter Presentation by Sobel on ''Galileo's Daughter'', December 14, 1999], [[C-SPAN]]| video4 = [https://www.c-span.org/video/?160597-4/galileos-daughter-historical-memoir Presentation by Sobel on ''Galileo's Daughter'', November 19, 2000], [[C-SPAN]]| video5 = [https://www.c-span.org/video/?167891-1/letters-father Presentation by Sobel on ''Letters to Father'', December 7, 2001], [[C-SPAN]]| video6 = [https://www.c-span.org/video/?190405-1/the-planets Presentation by Sobel on ''The Planets'', November 15, 2005], [[C-SPAN]]| video7 = [https://www.c-span.org/video/?421869-2/dava-sobel-discusses-the-glass-universe Presentation by Sobel on ''The Glass Universe'', January 19, 2017], [[C-SPAN]]}} | {{external media| float = right| video1 = [https://www.c-span.org/video/?86908-1/longitude Presentation by Sobel on ''Longitude'', June 17, 1997], [[C-SPAN]]| video2 = [https://www.c-span.org/video/?116077-1/longitude ''Booknotes'' interview with Sobel on ''Longitude'', January 17, 1999], [[C-SPAN]]| video3 = [https://www.c-span.org/video/?154176-1/galileos-daughter Presentation by Sobel on ''Galileo's Daughter'', December 14, 1999], [[C-SPAN]]| video4 = [https://www.c-span.org/video/?160597-4/galileos-daughter-historical-memoir Presentation by Sobel on ''Galileo's Daughter'', November 19, 2000], [[C-SPAN]]| video5 = [https://www.c-span.org/video/?167891-1/letters-father Presentation by Sobel on ''Letters to Father'', December 7, 2001], [[C-SPAN]]| video6 = [https://www.c-span.org/video/?190405-1/the-planets Presentation by Sobel on ''The Planets'', November 15, 2005], [[C-SPAN]]| video7 = [https://www.c-span.org/video/?421869-2/dava-sobel-discusses-the-glass-universe Presentation by Sobel on ''The Glass Universe'', January 19, 2017], [[C-SPAN]]}} | ||
* {{cite book| title=Arthritis: What Works; Revolutionary Healing Approaches From An Unprecedented Nationwide Survey Of People With Arthritis|url=https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/0312927193|date=1992|publisher=St. Martin's Press|isbn=978-0-312-92719-6 }} | * {{cite book| title=Arthritis: What Works; Revolutionary Healing Approaches From An Unprecedented Nationwide Survey Of People With Arthritis|url=https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/0312927193|date=1992|publisher=St. Martin's Press|isbn=978-0-312-92719-6 }} | ||
* {{cite book| title=Arthritis: What Exercises Work: Breakthrough Relief for the Rest of Your Life, Even After Drugs and Surgery Have Failed|date=2015|publisher=St. Martin's Press| | * {{cite book| title=Arthritis: What Exercises Work: Breakthrough Relief for the Rest of Your Life, Even After Drugs and Surgery Have Failed|date=2015|publisher=St. Martin's Press|isbn=978-1250068682}} | ||
* {{cite book| title=Backache: What Exercises Work|url=https://www.amazon.ca/Backache-Exercises-Sobel-Arthur-Paperback/dp/B00ZT1A1XG|date=1996|publisher=St. Martin's Press}} | * {{cite book| title=Backache: What Exercises Work|url=https://www.amazon.ca/Backache-Exercises-Sobel-Arthur-Paperback/dp/B00ZT1A1XG|date=1996|publisher=St. Martin's Press}} | ||
* ''[[Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time]]'' (1995) {{ISBN|1-85702-571-7}}. {{OCLC|909490210}} – the genius in question was [[John Harrison]], who spent decades trying to convince the [[British Admiralty]] of the accuracy of his naval timepieces and their use in determining [[longitude]] when at sea in order to win the [[longitude prize]]. The book itself won the 1997 [[British Book of the Year]] award. | * ''[[Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time]]'' (1995) {{ISBN|1-85702-571-7}}. {{OCLC|909490210}} – the genius in question was [[John Harrison]], who spent decades trying to convince the [[British Admiralty]] of the accuracy of his naval timepieces and their use in determining [[longitude]] when at sea in order to win the [[longitude prize]]. The book itself won the 1997 [[British Book of the Year]] award. | ||
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==Recognition== | ==Recognition== | ||
In 2008, Sobel was awarded the [[Klumpke-Roberts Award]] by the [[Astronomical Society of the Pacific]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Klumpke-Roberts Award : Awards : WHO WE ARE : Astronomical Society of the Pacific |url=https://astrosociety.org/who-we-are/awards/klumpke-roberts-award.html/title/past-recipients-of-the-klumpke-roberts-award |access-date=2026-05-26 |website=astrosociety.org |language=en}}</ref> | |||
She was named a [[Fellow of the American Physical Society]] in 2022 "for outstanding writings covering many centuries of key developments in physics and astronomy and the people central to those developments".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aps.org/programs/honors/fellowships/archive-all.cfm?initial=&year=2022|title=Fellows nominated in 2022|work=APS Fellows archive|publisher=American Physical Society|access-date=2022-10-19}}</ref> | She was named a [[Fellow of the American Physical Society]] in 2022 "for outstanding writings covering many centuries of key developments in physics and astronomy and the people central to those developments".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aps.org/programs/honors/fellowships/archive-all.cfm?initial=&year=2022|title=Fellows nominated in 2022|work=APS Fellows archive|publisher=American Physical Society|access-date=2022-10-19}}</ref> | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{ | {{Reflist}} | ||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sobel, Dava}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Sobel, Dava}} | ||
[[Category:1947 births]] | [[Category:1947 births]] | ||
[[Category:20th-century American women writers]] | [[Category:20th-century American women writers]] | ||
[[Category:21st-century American non-fiction writers]] | [[Category:21st-century American non-fiction writers]] | ||
[[Category:21st-century American women writers]] | [[Category:21st-century American women writers]] | ||
[[Category:American women science writers]] | [[Category:American women science writers]] | ||
[[Category:Antioch College alumni]] | [[Category:Antioch College alumni]] | ||
[[Category:Binghamton University alumni]] | [[Category:Binghamton University alumni]] | ||
[[Category:Fellows of the American Physical Society]] | [[Category:Fellows of the American Physical Society]] | ||
[[Category:Living people]] | [[Category:Living people]] | ||
[[Category:Scientific American people]] | [[Category:Scientific American people]] | ||
[[Category:The Bronx High School of Science alumni]] | |||
[[Category:20th-century American science writers]] | |||