Faces of Science: Portraits

An intimate look at the people behind some of the great discoveries of our time.

Here a renowned photographer turns her camera on some of the greatest men and women of the scientific community. The seventy-seven extraordinary portraits included in Faces of Science make their subjects accessible to us and less formidable than they may have seemed in the past. Each image is paired with a short autobiographical essay explaining how the scientist became interested in his or her chosen field. The combination of word and image illuminates the individual character of each scientist, from Francis Crick and Richard Leakey to Miriam Rothschild and Mary Eubanks. It also reveals some of what they have in common: intellectual curiosity, a desire to help mankind, and an ability to work with others to accomplish their tasks. Faces of Science is both an inspiration and a confirmation of the human spirit. 85 duotone photographs

Mariana Ruth Cook previous books include the much-acclaimed Mothers and Sons and Fathers and Daughters. She lives in New York City.

Gerard Piel was the founding editor of Scientific American.