Edward’s previous books include The Seeds of Life (Finalist for the Kirkus Prize), The Clockwork Universe, The Forger’s Spell (the New York Times bestselling account of the greatest art hoax of the 20th century), The Rescue Artist (winner of the Edgar Award in 2006 for best non-fiction), Down the Great Unknown, and Madness on the Couch.
Praise for The Seeds of Life:
“Fascinating.”
– The New York Times (review is by Abraham Verghese, author of Cutting for Stone)
“Engaging and exuberant.”
– The Wall Street Journal
“A wonderful, astonishing story, beautifully told. Edward Dolnick has surpassed himself (and everyone else)!”
– David Wootton, author of The Invention of Science: A New History of the Scientific Revolution
“A delightful history … The Seeds of Life is the best sort of science history, explaining not only how great men made great discoveries, but why equally great men, trapped by prejudices and what seemed to be plain common sense, missed what was in front of their noses.”
– Kirkus (starred review)
“In this unexpectedly amusing history, the author investigates a question few readers will have ever considered: When did people figure out where babies come from? … From the bizarre, including a woman who claimed to have given birth to rabbits, to the divine—some scientists insisted that God’s hand was a critical component to conception—Dolnick follows an array of trails. Combining first-class research and a truly delightful writing style, Dolnick shares his fascination with the history of science and our perception of reproduction in this enlightening and enjoyable read.”
– Booklist
“Where do babies come from? People pondered this question for millennia, yet it was not until 1875 that an answer finally materialized. … Dolnick weaves a suspenseful tale of discovery, failure and often just plain weirdness while never losing sight of the mystery at hand.”
– Scientific American (“Recommended” book)
“A rich and entertaining history”
– Natural History
Praise for The Rush:
“Dolnick skillfully peppers his account with dozens of first-person quotations and experiences, though his focus is on the hopes, journeys and realities of five varied but engaging individuals.”
“Dolnick has succeeded admirably in in putting a decidedly personal face on … an episode that changed America.”
– The New York Times
“Rich with first-person accounts and studded with surprises, The Rush will please readers looking for a breezy, compact narrative.”
– The Wall Street Journal
“Readers new to Gold Rush history will find a bonanza here—and for old hands, Dolnick provides enough fresh interpretation to keep the pages turning.”
– Kirkus Review
“Dolnick’s compulsively readable story is one that’s rarely been told better.”
“New in its color and descriptive riches … Dolnick tapped into the diaries and memoirs of men and women of the era to bring brilliantly alive the experiences of so many thousands.”
– Publisher’s Weekly
“Edward Dolnick’s new book The Rush is fantastic … Dolnick is a rare breed among popular historians. His prose isn’t only smart and lively. It’s also just plain fun to read thanks to his wit and appreciation for masterful storytellers.”
– Christian Science Monitor
Praise for The Clockwork Universe:
“Delightful”
– Robert Krulwich, NPR
“I’ve read a lot of science books and this is by far one of the best I’ve ever read. It’s fascinating, clear, even funny. And it takes readers through one of the most astonishing eras in science.”
– Barbara Strauch, science editor, The New York Times
“Dolnick’s book is lively and the characters are vivid … the author has an advanced degree in math and explains it with clarity and fizz.”
– The New York Times
“From the opening chapter, Mr Dolnick plunges the reader down a rabbit hole into the filth, tumult, and poverty of Restoration London … a free-for-all of ideas in a character-rich historical narrative …. memorable…. “
– The Wall Street Journal
“At once a biography of men such as Gottfried Liebniz, Isaac Newton and Johannes Kepler, a layman’s description of the significance of their work, and an evocative piece of cultural history.”
– The Economist
“Dolnick is an eloquent writer who performs literary CPR on these dusty old marble busts from the museum of science and in the process illuminates one of the darkest centuries in prismatic light, an accomplishment Newton would have appreciated.”
– The San Antonio Express-News
“The Clockwork Universe is … so well and entertainingly written and so filled with interesting material that it is one of those rare volumes the reader regrets reaching the end of. … Dolnick has to cover an extraordinary amount of of ground here and he does so with remarkable ease, bringing the men, the reasoning, the science, and the intellectual world they lived in to brilliant life.”
– Commentary
” … The Clockwork Universe is delightful … [These geniuses] believed that simple, elegant laws drove the universe and that God had planted secret clues about the Apocalypse in the Bible. Dolnick strikes a remarkable balance in portraying such ideas. We get to chuckle at plenty of batty theories, but we sympathize with Society members, too—we understand their motivations, and we get to see how they grew intellectually through debate and experimentation.”
– The American Scholar
” … fascinating … “
– New Scientist
“Colorful, entertainingly written, and nicely paced”
– Kirkus Reviews
” … entertaining …. short, punchy chapters use simple language to explain complex ideas … Dolnick’s history begins to soar … “
– Associated Press
“Dolnick offers penetrating portraits of the geniuses of the day, many of them idiosyncratic in the extreme… An informative read.”
– Publisher’s Weekly
“An engrossing read”
– Library Journal
“The Clockwork Universe is a perfect blending of history, science, and religion—completely accessible for non-specialists and a thoroughly engrossing read for all.”
– Lifetime Reading Plan
Praise for The Forger’s Spell:
“When it comes to forgery and its ability to fascinate, the bigger the better, and the greater the audacity the more compelling. In the story of a two-bit Dutch painter, Han Van Meegeren, who had the nerve to take on that most rarefied of his artistic compatriots, Johannes Vermeer, author Edward Dolnick has hit the mother lode.”
– Los Angeles Times
“Dolnick . . . tells his story engagingly and with a light touch. He has a novelist’s talent for characterization, and he raises fascinating questions.”
– The New York Times
“Mesmerizing account of an amateur artist who made millions selling forged paintings to art-obsessed Nazis and business tycoons. . . . Energetic and authoritative.”
– Kirkus (starred review)
“. . . extraordinary . . . fascinating . . . compelling . . .”
– Publisher’s Weekly (starred review)
“. . . engrossing and jaw-dropping . . .”
– Rocky Mountain News
“. . . pacing and prose as gripping as those of the best mystery novelist. The Forger’s Spell is simply spell-binding.”
– Philadelphia Inquirer
“A true story about the greatest art hoax of the twentieth century’ seems to promise a mighty large tale, but this book offers even more.”
– St Louis Post-Dispatch
“For several days after reading the book, I found myself questioning all that I thought was accepted common knowledge about Old Masters.”
– Art + Auction
“. . . this wonderful book . . . an incomparable page-turner . . .”
– Boston Globe
“. . . a riveting new art thriller . . .”
– Christian Science Monitor
“. . . astonishing . . . an excellent read . . . a swift and astute narrative . . .”
– Chicago Sun-Times
“. . . fascinating . . . fantastic . . . terrific . . .”
– Newsday
Praise for The Rescue Artist:
“Dolnick’s scenario is as good as an Alfred Hitchcock thriller with Woody Allen occasionally touching up the script. … There has never been a better book on art crime.”
– ARTnews
“A masterpiece. Engrossing, entertaining, often surreally hilarious.”
– Mary Roach
“Edward Dolnick tells the story with all the pace and verve of a rollicking heist flick . . . As many art books are dry as dust, written in opaque language and squarely aimed at dwellers in ivory towers, it is an absolute pleasure to read such a racy tale, full of revving car engines, snarling villains and victorious, sardonic Plods.”
– The Times (London)
Praise for Down the Great Unknown:
“This stirring tale of John Wesley Powell’s 1869 ten-man expedition by boat 1,000 miles down the unmapped Colorado River through the uncharted mile-high Grand Canyon is as dramatic as the adversities Conan Doyle dreamed up for Professor Challenger in The Lost World … Dolnick keeps his narrative flowing like a strong current, pioneering in prose with much of one-armed Powell’s own self-confidence.”
– The Times (London)
“Down the Great Unknown brushes against perfection. This is history written as it should be—and too rarely is: enthusiastic, rigorous, painterly, gloriously free of both pedantry and hyperbole.”
– Amazon.com editorial review
A formidable reminder of America’s forgotten bravery. Dolnick spins an epic tale of ambition, curiosity, ingenuity, and hard-earned survival as magnificent as the Grand Canyon itself. Terrific — an incredible adventure story — gripping.”
– Tony Hillerman
Praise for Madness on the Couch:
“My fervent hope is that every person still clinging to the belief that Freud was one of the greatest scientists of recent times will buy and ponder Dolnick’s brilliant, explosive book — a splendid, scrupulously documented survey of the revolution that has taken place, since Freud, in the understanding of schizophrenia, autism, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.”
– Martin Gardner
“Dolnick brings to his task a formidable array of strengths . . . A diverse cast of characters is captured in brilliant thumbnail vignettes . . . Dolnick’s narrative moves smoothly and effortlessly, never lingering too long on any topic yet never leaving a topic until its full significance has been explored. Despite its somber theme, the book is a delight to read.”
– The New York Times