Life of Alexander von Humboldt

First published in English translation in 1873, this is a detailed biography of the naturalist and explorer Alexander von Humboldt.

Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859) was one of the first champions of the multidisciplinary approach to science. Volume 1 of this biography, first published in English in 1873, provides an account of the first part of his remarkable life, translated from the German edition of 1872.Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859) was a naturalist, explorer and philanthropist now well known for his multidisciplinary approach to science. First published in English in 1873, this two-volume biography was translated from the German edition of 1872, edited by Karl Bruhns, which had been compiled in commemoration of the centenary of Humboldt's birth. Incorporating numerous extracts of Humboldt's own warmly written letters and anecdotes from his many acquaintances, it charts his travels in South America, Asia and Europe. Volume 1 covers his early exploratory trips and some of his lesser-known exploits, including becoming Superintendent of Mines in Northern Bavaria, his research on the sixteenth-century eruption of Nevado del Altar in Ecuador and his friendship with the young Prince William of Prussia. Of interest to students and researchers in the history of science, this is a minutely detailed and compelling insight into the life of the man behind the scientist.