British Book Awards (The Nibbies)
1 appearances
-
Edition 8 (1997) Winner
Dava Sobel
ダヴァ・ソーベル
Dava Sobel
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1947-06-15 （The Bronx, New York City）
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
Career
- Occupations
- Writer, Science writer
- Active Years
- 1970-
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronx High School of Science | — | — | — | 1960s | United States |
| Binghamton University | — | — | — | 1960s | United States |
Bronx High School of Science
Period:
1960s
Year of Graduation:
1965
Country:
United States
Binghamton University
Period:
1960s
Year of Graduation:
1969
Country:
United States
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | British Book of the Year | Longitude | — | British Book Awards | 受賞 |
| 2000 | Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography (finalist) | Galileo's Daughter | 伝記 | Pulitzer Prize | ファイナリスト |
| — | Guggenheim Fellowship for Natural Sciences | — | — | Guggenheim Foundation | 受賞 |
| — | Klumpke-Roberts Award | — | — | Astronomical Society of the Pacific | 受賞 |
| 2022 | Fellow of the American Physical Society | — | — | American Physical Society | 受賞 |
British Book of the Year
1997
Work:
Longitude
Organization:
British Book Awards
Result:
受賞
Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography (finalist)
2000
Work:
Galileo's Daughter
Category:
伝記
Organization:
Pulitzer Prize
Result:
ファイナリスト
Guggenheim Fellowship for Natural Sciences
Organization:
Guggenheim Foundation
Result:
受賞
Klumpke-Roberts Award
Organization:
Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Result:
受賞
Fellow of the American Physical Society
2022
Organization:
American Physical Society
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Los Angeles Times Book Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 20 (1999) Winner
Works
Major Works
Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time
1995 History of science, NonfictionTells the story of English clockmaker John Harrison and the quest to solve the longitude problem, explaining the science and social context for a general audience. Adapted for television in 1999.
history of sciencetechnological innovationhuman drama
Adaptations
- [Television film/series] Longitude / Charles Sturridge (1999)
Galileo's Daughter: A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith, and Love
2000 Biography, History of scienceUsing the letters of Galileo's daughter Maria Celeste as a starting point, it portrays Galileo's life and intertwines issues of faith and family. Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Biography or Autobiography.
biographyscience and faithfamily history
The Planets
2005 History of science, EssayAn account of the discovery, science, history and mythology of the planets, with a chapter devoted to each celestial sphere, aimed at general readers.
astronomymythology and culturehistory of science
A More Perfect Heaven: How Copernicus Revolutionized the Cosmos
2011 History of scienceCharts Copernicus's life and work to explain the development of the modern view of the cosmos.
Copernicusscientific revolutionhistory of astronomy
The Glass Universe: How the Ladies of the Harvard Observatory Took the Measure of the Stars
2016 History of science, Social historyExplores the contributions of the Harvard 'computers'—women who classified stars—and examines the role of women in astronomy.
women in sciencehistory of astronomysocial history
The Elements of Marie Curie: How the Glow of Radium Lit a Path for Women in Science
2024 Biography, History of scienceA portrait of Marie Curie's life and achievements, relating the discovery of radium to the broader path forged by women in science.
biographyradiation sciencewomen's history in science
Bibliography
- Arthritis: What Works (1992)
- Backache: What Exercises Work (1996)
- Longitude (1995)
- Galileo's Daughter (2000)
- The Planets (2005)
- A More Perfect Heaven (2011)
- The Glass Universe (2016)
- The Elements of Marie Curie (2024)
Adaptations
- Longitude (TV film/series, 1999)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Accessible popular nonfictionNarrative-driven history of scienceBiographical approach
- Recurring Motifs
- history of sciencehuman side of scientistswomen in science
Legacy
An influential popular writer in the history of science, she helped bring complex scientific stories to a general audience. Her work has been widely recognized — asteroid 30935 Davasobel was named in her honor — and she holds honorary degrees and other distinctions.
Academic Societies
- American Physical Society (Fellow)
In Popular Culture
- Known to general audiences through the television adaptation of Longitude
Quotes
-
It's the closest thing to witnessing a miracle.
Source: Interview / Jennifer Byrne Presents (transcript) (2012)
Trivia
- She is the niece of journalist Ruth Gruber.
- Asteroid 30935 Davasobel was named in her honor.
- Received honorary Doctor of Letters degrees from the University of Bath and Middlebury College in 2002.
- She is a chaser of solar eclipses and has stated she has seen multiple total eclipses.