Answering questions such as whether the interesting parts of science be conveyed in sermons, poems, pictures and journalism, Knight explores the history of science to show how the successes and failures of our ancestors can help us understand the position science comes to occupy now.

David Knight is Emeritus Professor of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Durham. His distinguished career has led to numerous awards including a Templeton Foundation award for teaching 'Science & Religion in the 19th century', and the American Chemical Society's Edelstein Award for History of Chemistry. His most recent publications include Science and Beliefs: From Natural Philosophy to Natural Science, 1700-1900 (co-editor), and Science and Spirituality: the Volatile Connection (Routledge, 2004).

1 Understanding 2 God's clockworld 3 Holding forth 4 Poetry, metaphor and algebra 5 Picturing science 6 Ballyhoo 7 Display 8 Travel 9 Imagining 10 Science gossip 11 Suspending judgement 12 Classical physics 13 Promoters and popularisers