Inventors are science's celebrities, often becoming know out side academic circles. But what if the scientist best known for an innovation isn't the person most deserving of discinction? The Nearly Men by Mike Green examines this question, revealing that the history of science, like most everything else, is often written by the winners.
Green's look at developments in telecommunications, evolutionary biology, and computers show that there was more than one visionary at the cusp of each breakthrough. Most interestingly, the author examines each runner up in the an attempt to find a common Achilles' Heal - which is usually a mix of poor business sense and lousy social skills.
As a biographical collection of those major breakthroughs in science - the Nearly Men succeeds. It shows that peeling back the layers of history reveals unsung heroes and unforeseen questions.
