The life of Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), the man who gave living organisms two Latin names, is celebrated afresh in this newly revised and magnificently illustrated edition of the definitive biography. In his native Sweden, Linnaeus is revered by children as the "Prince of Flowers" and by adults as a great biologist, the author of classics on natural history, and, owing to his impassioned study of the sex life of plants, as history's foremost "botanical pornographer." Linnaeus was of pivotal importance in the Age of Enlightenment. Though an adventurous traveler, keen collector, zoologist, and geologist, he loved botany most of all. The son of a pastor, he believed he was chosen by God to resolve the jumbled classification of the natural world. Through his Systema Naturae, first published in 1735, he brought order to all recorded knowledge about living things, distinguishing and naming 7,700 plants and 4,400 animals in his lifetime. This book gives a fascinating and rounded portrait of Linnaeus the man, charting his rise from a poor student at Lund University to Professor of Medicine at Uppsala and a founder of the Royal Academy of Sciences. Wilfrid Blunt's engaging text is interspersed with vivid passages from his subject's own writings--from riveting descriptions of adventures in the wilds of Lapland to a charming account of Sjupp the raccoon. Linnaeus's family life and his relations with pupils are explored alongside his epoch-making scientific achievements. William Stearn's appendix on Linnean classification provides a concise survey of the basics necessary for understanding Linnaeus's work. Impeccably researched and highly readable, this biography is ideal for anyone interested in botany, zoology, or mineralogy, as well as naturalists and gardeners. It brings the world of Linnaeus alive with over 200 beautiful illustrations, including evocative photographs and exquisite eighteenth-century botanical drawings, paintings, and engravings.

Carl Linnaeus (1707- 78) invented the system, now used worldwide, of giving living organisms two Latin names and through his Systema Naturae, published in 1735, brought order to all recorded knowledge about plants and animals. This book charts Linnaeus's rise from poor student at Lund University in Sweden, to Professor of Medicine at Uppsala and founder of the Royal Academy of Sciences. A keen traveller, scientist, collector, painter and geologist, his lifelong passion was for botany. In the course of his life, he distinguished and named 9000 plants, 828 shells, 2100 insects and 477 fish. This is a lively and readable account of Linnaeus the man, his adventures in the wilds of Lapland, his family life and his relations with his pupils, as well as his epoch-making scientific achievements.

Carl Linnaeus invented the system, now used worldwide, of giving living organisms two Latin names and, through his 'Systema Naturae', brought order to all recorded knowledge about plants and animals. This book charts his rise from being a poor student in Sweden to eventually founding the Royal Academy of Sciences.

A biography of eighteenth-century Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus who classified living things, including 7,700 plants and 4,400 animals, with a system of two Latin names. Features excerpts from Linnaeus's writings as well as more than 200 illustrations.

"The life of Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), the man who gave living organisms two Latin names, is celebrated afresh in this newly revised and illustrated edition of the definitive biography. In his native Sweden, Linnaeus is revered by children as the "Prince of Flowers" and by adults as a great biologist, the author of classics on natural history, and, owing to his impassioned study of the sex life of plants, as history's foremost "botanical pornographer."" "This book gives a portrait of Linnaeus the man, charting his rise from a poor student at Lund University to Professor of Medicine at Uppsala and a founder of the Royal Academy of Sciences. Wilfrid Blunt's text is interspersed with passages from his subject's own writings - from riveting descriptions of adventures in the wilds of Lapland to a charming account of Sjupp the raccoon. Linnaeus's family life and his relations with pupils are explored alongside his scientific achievements. William Stearn's appendix on Linnean classification provides a concise survey of the basics necessary for understanding Linnaeus's work."--BOOK JACKET.