A Piece of the Mountain:The Story of Blaise Pascal

A gem of a book. This is who Blaise Pascal really was, not some sanitized version. So happy I bought this and read this.

BEWARE this is far from a scholarly biography.This is far from what I had expected. I expected a biography of a brilliantman but got an unapologetic evangelical polemic aimed at an elementary school student level. Monsieur Pascal would be rolling in dismay in his grave. It plays (to say the least) VERY fast and loose with the facts, at least as far as I can ascertain them from other sources. Pascal's famous "bet" does not fit well with this born again account of evangelical revelation and certainty. The truth of a terrifying Church/Inquisition demanding supremacy over all including reason peeks through the cracks in the lines here but historical truth is a largely a "left behind" casualty.

This is a wonderful story about an interesting man and scientist. As some of the negative reviews mentioned it is heavy on his faith but for us that was a huge plus not a negative. Many books cover his accomplishments but few cover who he was as a man.

This is a good read. Recommended reading for pre-physics

Here is the biography of a life well worth studying. Pascal was one of those rare people who, like da Vinci, was a genius in several areas--in science, mathematics, and theology. He also helped develop the world's first public transit system! As homeschoolers, we also enjoyed the depiction of his early education, as he and his siblings were taught by their brilliant, loving father. Throughout, the book reveals Pascal as a thoroughly decent and honest man. I highly recommend this book for about sixth grade up through adults.

I never knew as much about Blaise Pascal until I had read this book. What I'm really interested in is getting to know all of those lovely sources that McPherson used for her research material.Before I had read this book, I didn't know much about Pascal's scientific experiments or his contributions to French society. This book has also cleared up a lot of the background concerning Pascal's writings. It is well written and highly entertaining.

Thought I was getting a bio of a great mathematician and philosopher. Instead, it's a religious rendering of sorts, maybe OK for those who believe in things religious but quite a putoff if you want objective and unbiased insight. I threw the book away...