I won this in a first reads giveaway. 
 Let me start off by saying that Dava Sobel undoubtedly knows what she's talking about. The amount of research that must have gone into this book is astounding! I find it so incredible the way history can be sewn together from so many pieces to create such a detailed tapestry. 
 Throughout the book are letters written in the hand of Galileo's daughter, Suor Maria Celeste. From these letter you discern not just how devoted a daughter she was, but also that Galileo himself was an honest and generous man, with dignity, strength and faith. It is truly a travesty that his letters to his daughter have been lost. 
 I found the names confusing (as so many were named Vincenzio, I often got disoriented), but Dava Sobel has foreseen this problem and provides friendly reminders throughout which I found tremendously helpful. 
 There were several points in the story where I found goosebumps dancing down my arm as though I were truly witnessing Galileo paving the road of modern science. Galileo was able to balance science and religion in a way that is relevant even today. 
 The end of this story is where Sobel's brilliance truly shone. Of course there is no doubt what the outcome will be, as history has already been written, but the way in which the details were unraveled for me brought me to tears. 
 I can highly recommend this book to those who love history, science and truth. Enjoy! 
 end - tears