🎯 Where Should I Start?
ⓘ About Dava Sobel
Dava Sobel Dava Sobel is an American author who specializes in translating scientific history for a general readership. Her works transform complex subjects into clear and approachable stories. She avoids dense jargon, instead focusing on the human elements within the narratives. This method allows her to connect with a broad audience. Her books demonstrate a particular skill for finding compelling true stories. Longitude details the persistent efforts of a clockmaker named John Harrison. Galileo’s Daughter explores the scientist’s life through his correspondence. The Glass Universe highlights the crucial work of women astronomers at Harvard. Sobel constructs her narratives with a strong forward momentum. She builds her accounts around real people and their specific challenges.
All Book Series by Dava Sobel
Backache Relief
Series opener · book 1 of 14 · published 1985 Co-authored · Arthur C. Klein
Arthritis: What Exercises Work: Breakthrough Relief For The Rest Of Your Life, Even After Drugs & Surgery Have Failed
Book 2 of 14 · published 1989
The Incredible Planets: New Views of the Solar Family
Book 4 of 14 · published 1993
Backache: What Exercises Work
Book 5 of 14 · published 1994 Co-authored · Arthur C. Klein
Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time
Book 6 of 14 · published 1995
Galileo's Daughter: A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith and Love
Book 7 of 14 · published 1999
To Father: The Letters of Sister Maria Celeste to Galileo, 1623-1633
Book 8 of 14 · published 2001
The "Daily Telegraph" Arthritis
Book 9 of 14 · published 2005 Co-authored · Arthur C. Klein
Back Pain: What Really Works
Book 11 of 14 · published 2006 Co-authored · Arthur C. Klein
A More Perfect Heaven: How Copernicus Revolutionized the Cosmos
Book 12 of 14 · published 2011
The Glass Universe: How the Ladies of the Harvard Observatory Took the Measure of the Stars
Book 13 of 14 · published 2016
The Elements of Marie Curie: How the Glow of Radium Lit a Path for Women in Science
Latest in the series · book 14 of 14 · published 2024
The Best American Science Writing 2003
Series opener · book 1 of 10 · published 2003 Anthology · Oliver Sacks,Joseph D'Agnese,Jesse Cohen
The Best American Science Writing 2004
Book 2 of 10 · published 2004 Co-authored · Jesse Cohen
The Best American Science Writing 2005
Book 3 of 10 · published 2005 Anthology · Jesse Cohen,Alan Lightman
The Best American Science Writing 2006
Book 4 of 10 · published 2006 Anthology · Jesse Cohen,Atul Gawande
The Best American Science Writing 2007
Book 5 of 10 · published 2007 Anthology · Jesse Cohen,Gina Kolata
The Best American Science Writing 2008
Book 6 of 10 · published 2008 Anthology · Jesse Cohen,Sylvia Nasar,Jerome Groopman
The Best American Science Writing 2009
Book 7 of 10 · published 2009 Anthology · Jesse Cohen,Natalie Angier
The Best American Science Writing 2010
Book 8 of 10 · published 2010 Anthology · Jesse Cohen,Jerome Groopman
The Best American Science Writing 2011
Book 9 of 10 · published 2011 Anthology · Rebecca Skloot
The Best American Science Writing 2012
Latest in the series · book 10 of 10 · published 2012 Anthology · Jesse Cohen,Michio Kaku
? Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Dava Sobel?
Dava Sobel Dava Sobel is an American author who specializes in translating scientific history for a general readership. Her works transform complex subjects into clear and approachable stories. She avoids dense jargon, instead focusing on the human elements within the narratives.
Which Dava Sobel series should I start with?
The best place to start is the Best American Science Writing series, the earliest of Dava Sobel's multi-book series: it opens with The Best American Science Writing 2003 (2003) and runs to 10 books across 2003–2012, ending with The Best American Science Writing 2012 (2012).
How many books has Dava Sobel written?
Dava Sobel has 25 books catalogued in this guide, published between 1985 and 2024. 10 of them belong to 1 named series — the largest being the Best American Science Writing series with 10 books — and 15 are standalone titles, collections or anthologies.
In what order should Dava Sobel's series be read?
Read each series in publication order — the numbered entries in each series follow the year each book first appeared. Dava Sobel's series do not depend on one another, so they can be started in any order; by start date they are Best American Science Writing (2003–2012, 10 books).
How are Dava Sobel's books organised into series?
This guide splits Dava Sobel's 25 books into 1 named series and 15 titles that stand alone or appear only in collections: Best American Science Writing (10 books, 2003–2012).