Copernicus' Secret: How the Scientific Revolution Began Book

This was the story of how Copernicus was the first to posit a heliocentric view of the universe,and why it took decades for him to publish his work. The book was mostly written in a lively, novelistic style that held a lay reader's interest, but occasionally it lapsed into too much (boring, to me) detail about church and civil politics at the time. To his credit, Copernicus was first reluctant to publish his work because he felt he hadn't gotten everything exactly right. Also, he was afraid of being ridiculed because his theory was so bold and new. Later, he was already in a little trouble with the church for keeping a mistress. Even some of his supporters were afraid to state unequivocally that they thought he was right, even though they knew he was. I liked the passion that Copernicus and his fellow astronomers had for their science, and the book conveyed very nicely the spirit of the Renaissance, the excitement of re-awakening intellect after the dark ages, the excitement of new discoveries and the conflicted role of the church (patron at some times, and at other times a suppressor of new ideas).