Man Who Organized Nature (paperback)

Author: Gunnar Broberg

File under: Linnaeus

ISBN: 9780691248202

Binding: paperback

Section: Biography

Subtitle: The Life of Linnaeus

The Man Who Organized Nature describes Linnaeus’s childhood in a landscape of striking natural beauty and how this influenced his later work. Linnaeus’s Lutheran pastor father, knowledgeable about plants and an enthusiastic gardener, helped foster an early interest in botany. The book examines the political connections that helped Linnaeus secure patronage for his work, and untangles his ideas about sexuality. These were not, as often assumed, an attempt to naturalize gender categories but more likely reflected the laissez-faire attitudes of the era. Linnaeus, like many other brilliant scientists, could be moody and egotistical; the book describes his human failings as well as his medical and scientific achievements. Written in an engaging and accessible style, The Man Who Organized Nature provides new and fascinating insights into the life of one of history’s most consequential and enigmatic scientists.