The Poetry and Music of Science

... convergence of many things often throws up a new picture, a process McLeish calls ''seeing the unseen.'' Leaps of imaginations are crucial for this kind of creativity, for it is only by such leaps that one can join disparate domains and bring about the emergence of a new ontological picture. Scientific creativity, when properly understood, has the same structure as creativity in the arts. * Deepanwita Dasgupta, Physics in Perspective *
McLeish displays both a profound analysis of creativity and an ability to navigate a demanding interdisciplinary area. His book is not only a very important contribution to fruitful dialogue between the humanities and science, in particular between natural science and art, but also a creative book in itself, opening up a rich conversation in how to understand the common streams of creativity between the two. * Knut-Willy Sæther, Volda University College, Norway, Modern Believing *
a detailed (at times lavishly executed) examination of scientific and artistic creativity . . . McLeish's erudition is admirable. He has made a timely and topical contribution to the field of science and religion. * Yiftach Fehige, University of Toronto, Metascience *
McLeish moves the discussion of science and religion on rather profoundly * Andrew Davison, Church Times *
[McLeish] proves himself [an] extreme interdisciplinarian ... Thanks to its poetic nature and compelling signposts for discussion, I suspect McLeish's book would have aphrodisiac qualities for the right audience... No matter what your field, you will come away from the book sold, as I am, on the need to prioritise time for creative gestation. * Rivka Isaacson, Times Higher Edcuation Supplement *
McLeish takes his reader on a journey through classical, medieval, romantic and modern art and science, exploring similarities in the creative processes that drove the greatest painters, writers and scientists towards their accomplishments... There are a number of vivid descriptions of seminal pieces of physics that showcase McLeish's talent for communicating science... interwoven with equally lavish introductions of many works of art and personal experiences of artists. * David Abergel, Nature Physics *
McLeish chases the echoes between scientific and artistic creativity in this intriguing scholarly treatise. * Nature *
McLeish moves the discussion of science and religion on rather profoundly. Enough has been written about how theology might relate to science in general, abstractly conceived. Far better to think theologically about particular scientific examples, set out with a historical and human back story. That is exactly what we have here. * Andrew Davison, Church Times *
Poetry and science are both rooted in the imagination ... At first sight I could not see the connection. But then I made the mistake of allowing myself to think about it. McLeish's ... theme is laid out very thoroughly. Give yourself a couple of quiet days to master it. * Quentin de la Bedoyere, Catholic Herald *
In this brilliant, lyrical and encyclopaedic study of the roots of creativity ... [McLeish] challenges the two cultures thesis [...] by showing how imaginative processes are just as essential and indeed seminal in the sciences as in the arts. * David Lorimer, Paradigm Explorer *
This kind of book is rarer than it should be, and all the more valuable. It dares to take seriously and probe deeply the interplay of the arts and the sciences. In place of the tired notion of Two Cultures, Tom McLeish reveals - passionately, and with great scholarship - the many meaningful points of contact between the sciences and music, literature and visual art. May this start a new and rich conversation! * Philip Ball, Science Writer *
Where do creative ideas come from? There is an answer, and it is the same in art as in science. There is a hidden wellspring inside the human mind from which they arise continuously. Tom McLeish provides meticulous evidence by interrogating the greatest minds. The result is a brilliant kaleidoscopic view of the history of imagination. * Uta Frith FBA FRS, UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience *
Anyone who believes that imagination, inspiration and creativity are the preserve of the arts should read this beautifully crafted ode to the enterprise of scientific discovery. * Jim Al-Khalili OBE FRS, Professor of Theoretical Physics, University of Surrey *
Within the short compass of this subtle and elegant exposition, McLeish tackles one of the most disabling narratives of our time. Creativity is neither a luxury nor a disqualification in a world whose survival requires all our imaginative resources, and it infuses the arts and sciences in uncannily similar ways. The author has also created a rare and beautiful thing: few could embrace such a range of artistic and scientific endeavour with such an uplift. * Marilyn Strathern DBE, Professor of Social Anthropology, Cambridge University *