New Book Explores the History of Ancient Science

'The Light of Alexandria' is a new book on the history of the first 1,000 years of science and how it helped to shape Greece, Rome and our world today. Written by James Maynard, a former science columnist from New Hampshire, this book, four years in the making, was completed during a flood.

(PRWEB) October 18, 2005 -- James Maynard, a longtime science columnist and New Hampshire native, released his first book, “The Light of Alexandria,” on October 12th.

The book is a history of the first 1,000 years of science, from the birth of the first true scientist, Thales, in 625 BC to the death of the last great scientist of the ancient world, Hypatia, in AD 415. In between, the biographies of all of the known major scientists from the era are told: Plato and Aristotle, Hippocrates, Archimedes, Ptolemy and more.

His hometown of Keene, New Hampshire suffered devastating floods October 8th and 9th, just as Maynard was finishing his first book. Meanwhile, thirty-six year-old Maynard kept typing away furiously at his keyboard, attempting to finish the project before any possible evacuation. “While finishing the final editing, I was backing everything up to a computer far away from the flooding every few minutes,” Maynard stated, unwilling to let his four-year project be destroyed if his computer was damaged.

In “The Light of Alexandria” Maynard paints a world not so different from our own as many people believe. This was a time of shopping malls, automatic doors, con machines, vending machines and primitive computers. The author explores the invention of all these advances and more, along with the music, art, theatre, styles of dress and history of 2,000 years ago. The role of women in the ancient world and the beginnings of women’s liberation are also delved into, with surprising results.

“I first became fascinated with the Library of Alexandria when Cosmos first aired in 1980.” Explains Maynard. “I went to the bookstore looking for a book on the subject, and I was told there were none. I became determined right then and there to someday write one.” Twenty-five years later, Maynard has completed the goal he set for himself at age eleven.

Maynard spent four years researching the subject and has worked nearly all of 2005 coalescing the assembled notes into a cohesive whole. A 2002 graduate of Keene State College in New Hampshire, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry and physics, with a minor in history. He also wrote “StarWatch,” a weekly newspaper column on astronomy that was published for three years. Earlier this year, he was also the editor of “Phenomenal Physics,” (www.phenomenalphysics.com) by Dr. J. Russell Harkay of Keene State College, his former faculty advisor. Currently working as a web designer and book editor from his Keene home, Maynard has taught at schools and special events around New England for over a decade.

“The Light of Alexandria” is currently available through the website for the book at www.lightofalexandria.com, and the book is available through Amazon. Maynard intends to support the work by holding several book-signings in New Hampshire. Information about these events will be available through the website.

For more information on “The Light of Alexandria,” please visit www.lightofalexandria.com or call 603-358-5079.

James Maynard
63 Castle St. #2
Keene, NH 03431
603-358-5079
October 18, 2005
For Immediate Release

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