Hugh Aldersey-Williams transports us to the Dutch Golden Age - a time of immense scientific and artistic innovation - in this histo-biography of Christiaan Huygens, one of Europe's leading, yet unsung, thinkers.

Tide: The Science and Lore of the Greatest Force on Earth
'Imagine, if possible, a gently studious Bill Bryson crossed with an upbeat and relaxed W. G. Sebald. It is a superb book . . . a delight to read. It is profound and powerful, and should win prizes.' Sunday Times
The Adventures of Sir Thomas Browne in the 21st Century
'The book is a delightful read because it shares the curiosity of its subject. Written with passion and affection . . . Its greatest virtue is that you come away from it liking both Browne and Aldersey-Williams. This is one of those books that makes you feel that you've made friends both with its subject and its author.' Guardian
Periodic Tales: The Curious Lives of the Elements
'To meander through the periodic table with him . . . is like going round a zoo with Gerald Durrell. If only chemistry had been like this at school . . . This is a rich compilation of delicious tales, but it offers a greater reward, too.' Prospect

At last - a scintillating biography of Christiaan Huygens, the Dutch mathematician, astronomer and inventor whose splendour has been unjustly eclipsed by the aura of Isaac Newton. After scouring archives, art galleries and museums in both the Netherlands and the UK, Hugh Aldersley-Williams has evocatively illuminated this brilliant polymath who laid the foundations of modern European science.