Alexander von Humboldt

A Concise Biography

Andreas W. Daum, Robert Savage

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English

Princeton University Pres
01 March 2025

Biography: general; Biography: science, technology & engineering; Mathematics & Sciences; History of science

In this lucid biography, Andreas Daum offers a succinct and novel interpretation of the life and oeuvre of Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859). A Prussian nobleman born into the age of European Enlightenment, Humboldt was a contemporary of Napoleon, Simn Bolvar, and Charles Darwin. As a naturalist and scholar, he travelled the world, from the Americas to Central Asia, and recorded his observations in multiple volumes. Humboldt is still admired today for his interdisciplinary outreach and ecological awareness.

Moving beyond the conventional views of Humboldt as either intellectual superhero or gentleman coloniser, Daum's incisive account focuses on Humboldt in the context of the tumultuous period of history in which he lived. Humboldt embodied the contradictions that marked the age of Atlantic Revolutions. He became a critic of slavery and embraced the emerging civil society but remained close to authoritarian rulers. He dedicated his life to scientific research yet was driven by emotional impulses and pleaded for an aesthetic appreciation of nature. Daum introduces a man passionately striving to establish a 'cosmic' understanding of nature while grappling with the era's explosion of knowledge.

This book provides the first concise biography of Humboldt, covering all periods of his life, exploring his personality, the vast range of his works, and his intellectual networks. Daum helps us understand Humboldt as a seminal historical figure and illuminates the role of science at the dawn of the global world.

By: Andreas W. Daum
Translated by: Robert Savage
Imprint: Princeton University Pres
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 203mm, Width: 127mm,
ISBN: 9780691247366
ISBN 10: 0691247366
Pages: 224
Publication Date: 01 March 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , General/trade , Primary , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Andreas W. Daum is professor of history at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo and a recipient of the Humboldt Research Award. He is the author of Kennedy in Berlin and Popularizing Science in the Nineteenth Century (in German), among others.

Reviews for Alexander von Humboldt: A Concise Biography

""The discoveries of the Prussian nobleman, cave botanist, and humanitarian Alexander von Humboldt, who was born in 1769, are the central attraction of this concise biography. . . . Daum interweaves these exploits with noteworthy episodes that took place during the nine decades of Humboldt’s life."" * New Yorker * ""The key virtue of this biography is its concision, and Daum does an admirable job of sorting through Humboldt’s numerous contradictions. . . . This gets the job done."" * Publishers Weekly *