Proceedings American Philosophical Society Vol 105 No 2 1961

Günther Buttman’s The Shadow of the Telescope was the first full-length biography of the nineteenth-century astronomer, Sir John Herschel. First published in German, this intriguing text chronicles the life and works of the third of the Herschel astronomers, the son of William and the nephew of Caroline. John was extremely intelligent, graduating as Senior Wrangler in the notoriously difficult Mathematical Tripos at Cambridge University. While less famous than his father and aunt, he nevertheless went on to make important discoveries in the field of astronomy. He named seven moons of Saturn and four moons of Uranus, the planet his father had only recently discovered. Making admirable use of John's unpublished correspondence, diaries, and notebooks, Buttman covers his extensive astronomical observations at Cape Town in South Africa, his pioneering work in photography and in physical optics in Britain, his unhappy experiences as Master of the Mint, and much more.

Second in a two-volume study of the Nobel Prize winner’s long career: “Nelson knows more about Milton Friedman’s economics than anyone else alive.” —Business Economics This study is the first to distill Nobel Prize winner Milton Friedman’s vast body of writings into an authoritative account of his research, his policy views, and his interventions in public debate. With this ambitious new work, Edward Nelson closes the gap: Milton Friedman and Economic Debate in the United States is the defining narrative on the famed economist, the first to grapple comprehensively with Friedman’s research output, economic framework, and legacy. This two-volume account provides a foundational introduction to Friedman’s role in several major economic debates that took place in the United States between 1932 and 1972. This second volume covers the years between 1960 and 1972—years that saw the publication of Friedman and Anna Schwartz’s Monetary History of the United States. The book also covers Friedman’s involvement in a number of debates in the 1960s and 1970s, on topics such as unemployment, inflation, consumer protection, and the environment. As a fellow monetary economist, Nelson writes from a unique vantage point, drawing on both his own expertise in monetary analysis and his deep familiarity with Friedman’s writings. Using extensive documentation, the book weaves together Friedman’s research contributions and his engagement in public debate, providing an unparalleled analysis of Friedman’s views on the economic developments of his day. “No previous biographer has Nelson’s deep and sophisticated understanding of monetary economics.” —Economic History