Garrett P. Serviss
Garrett Putnam Serviss (March 24, 1851 – May 25, 1929) was an American astronomer, popularizer of astronomy, and early science fiction writer. Serviss was born in Sharon Springs, New York and majored in science at Cornell University. He took a law degree at Columbia University but never worked as an attorney. Instead, in 1876 he joined the staff of ''The New York Sun'' newspaper, working as a journalist until 1892 under editor Charles Dana.Serviss showed a talent for explaining scientific details in a way that made them clear to the ordinary reader, leading Andrew Carnegie to invite him to deliver ''The Urania Lectures'' in 1894 on astronomy, cosmology, geology, and related matters. With Carnegie's financial backing, these lectures were illustrated with magic lantern slides and other effects to show eclipses, presumed lunar landscapes, and much else. Serviss toured the United States for over two years delivering these lectures, then settled down to become a popular speaker in the New York area. He also wrote a syndicated newspaper column devoted to astronomy and other sciences and wrote frequently for the leading magazines of the day.
Serviss' favorite topic was astronomy, and of the fifteen books he wrote, eight are devoted to it. He unquestionably was more widely read by the public on that topic than anyone prior to his time. He worked with Max and Dave Fleischer on ''The Einstein Theory of Relativity'' (1923), a short silent film released in connection with one of Serviss' books. He also wrote six works of fiction in his lifetime, all of which would today be classified as science fiction. Five of these were novels, and one was a short story.
In his private life, Serviss was an enthusiastic mountain climber. He described his reaching the summit of the Matterhorn at the age of 43 as part of an effort "to get as far away from terrestrial gravity as possible." His son was the Olympic high jumper Garrett Serviss.
A quotation from Serviss' ''Astronomy with the Naked Eye'' (1908) appears at the end the short story "Beyond the Wall of Sleep" (1919) written by H. P. Lovecraft. Provided by Wikipedia
Showing 1 - 16 results of 16 for search 'Serviss, Garrett Putman, 1851-1929', query time: 0.19s
Refine Results
-
1by Serviss, Garrett Putman, 1851-1929
Published 1916Call Number: Loading...
Located:Loading...Book Loading... -
2by Serviss, Garrett Putman, 1851-1929
Published 1907Call Number: Loading...
Located:Loading...Book Loading... -
3by Serviss, Garrett Putman, 1851-1929
Published 1912Call Number: Loading...
Located:Loading...Book Loading... -
4by Serviss, Garrett Putman, 1851-1929
Published 1909Call Number: Loading...
Located:Loading...Book Loading... -
5by Serviss, Garrett Putman, 1851-1929
Published 1912Call Number: Loading...
Located:Loading...Book Loading... -
6by Serviss, Garrett Putman, 1851-1929
Published 1911Call Number: Loading...
Located:Loading...Book Loading... -
7by Serviss, Garrett Putman, 1851-1929
Published 1974Call Number: Loading...
Located:Loading...Book Loading... -
8by Serviss, Garrett Putman, 1851-1929
Published 1974Call Number: Loading...
Located:Loading...Book Loading... -
9by Serviss, Garrett Putman, 1851-1929
Published 1910Call Number: Loading...
Located:Loading...Book Loading... -
10by Serviss, Garrett Putman, 1851-1929
Published 1947Call Number: Loading...
Located:Loading...Book Loading... -
11by Serviss, Garrett Putman, 1851-1929
Published 1928Call Number: Loading...
Located:Loading...Book Loading... -
12by Serviss, Garrett Putman, 1851-1929Other Authors: “...Serviss, Garrett Putman, 1851-1929...”
Published 1969
Call Number: Loading...
Located:Loading...Book Loading... -
13by Serviss, Garrett Putman, 1851-1929
Published 1972Call Number: Loading...
Located:Loading...Book Loading... -
14by Serviss, Garrett Putman, 1851-1929
Published 1900Call Number: Loading...
Located:Loading...Book Loading... -
15by Serviss, Garrett Putman, 1851-1929
Published 1911Call Number: Loading...
Located:Loading...Microform Book Loading... -
16by Serviss, Garrett Putman, 1851-1929
Published 2005Call Number: Loading...
Located:Loading...Book Loading...
Search Tools:
RSS Feed
–
Email Search