- Hardcover: 368 pages
- Publisher: Broadway Books; 1 edition (Oct 2002)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0767908368
- ISBN-13: 978-0767908368
- Product Dimensions: 21.1 x 15 x 3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,577,298 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
Michael Servetus is one of those hidden figureheads of history who is remembered not for his name, but for the revolutionary deeds that stand in his place. Both a scientist and a freethinking theologian, Servetus is credited with the discovery of pulmonary circulation in the human body as well as the authorship of a polemical masterpiece that cost him his life. The Chrisitianismi Restituto, a heretical work of biblical scholarship, written in 1553, aimed to refute the orthodox Christianity that Servetus' old colleague, John Calvin, supported. After the book spread through the ranks of Protestant hierarchy, Servetus was tried and agonizingly burned at the stake, the last known copy of the Restitutio chained to his leg.
Servetus's execution is significant because it marked a turning point in the quest for freedom of expression, due largely to the development of the printing press and the proliferation of books in Renaissance Europe. Three copies of the Restitutio managed to survive the burning, despite every effort on the part of his enemies to destroy them. As a result, the book became almost a surrogate for its author, going into hiding and relying on covert distribution until it could be read freely, centuries later. Out of the Flames tracks the history of this special work, examining Servetus's life and times and the politics of the first information during the sixteenth century. Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone follow the clandestine journey of the three copies through the subsequent centuries and explore its author's legacy and influence over the thinkers that shared his spirit and genius, such as Leibniz, Voltaire, Rousseau, Jefferson, Clarence Dorrow, and William Osler.
Out of the Flames is an extraordinary story providing testament to the power of ideas, the enduring legacy of books, and the triumph of individual courage.
Servetus's execution is significant because it marked a turning point in the quest for freedom of expression, due largely to the development of the printing press and the proliferation of books in Renaissance Europe. Three copies of the Restitutio managed to survive the burning, despite every effort on the part of his enemies to destroy them. As a result, the book became almost a surrogate for its author, going into hiding and relying on covert distribution until it could be read freely, centuries later. Out of the Flames tracks the history of this special work, examining Servetus's life and times and the politics of the first information during the sixteenth century. Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone follow the clandestine journey of the three copies through the subsequent centuries and explore its author's legacy and influence over the thinkers that shared his spirit and genius, such as Leibniz, Voltaire, Rousseau, Jefferson, Clarence Dorrow, and William Osler.
Out of the Flames is an extraordinary story providing testament to the power of ideas, the enduring legacy of books, and the triumph of individual courage.
About the Author
Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone are a husband-and-wife writing team who have written three books on their book-collecting pursuits: Used and Rare, Slightly Changed, and Warmly Inscribed. Lawrence Goldstone teaches creative writing at New York University.
--This text refers to an alternate
Hardcover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Servetus, exemplary scholar and free thinker,
By
This review is from: Out of the Flames: The Strange Journey of Michael Servetus and One of the Rarest Books in the World (Hardcover)
'Out of the flames' is prehaps the best popular introduction to Michael Servetus and the world of the Reformation currently available. It is much more than the story of a rare book. For example,Servetus' historical and Biblical studies led him to the conclusion that Christianity had become corrupted during the first three centuries of our Common Era. He learned that the Church had promoted false teachings that eventually led to the adoption of the Trinity as an official doctrine. At the age of 20, Servetus published his book 'On the Errors of the Trinity', a work that made him a principal target of the Inquisition.
Servetus saw things clearly. "In the Bible," he wrote, "there is no mention of the Trinity. . . . We get to know God, not through our proud philosophical concepts, but through Christ." He also came to the conclusion that the holy spirit is not a person but, rather, God's force in action. Such a view remains a challenge for anyone today, like Servetus, who is sincerely interested in Truth. A valuable lesson, and thank you, Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone for a great book!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant,
By
This review is from: Out of the Flames: The Remarkable Story of a Fearless Scholar, a Fatal Heresy, and One of Therarest Books in the World (Hardcover)
Quite simply unputdownable. It will forge an interest in antique books where the was none before. The authors best work.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Servetus, exemplary scholar and free thinker,
By
This review is from: Out of the Flames: The Remarkable Story of a Fearless Scholar, a Fatal Heresy, and One of the Rarest Books in the World (Paperback)
'Out of the Flames' is prehaps the best popular introduction to Michael Servetus and the world of the Reformation currently available. It is much more than the story of a rare book. For example,Servetus' historical and Biblical studies led him to the conclusion that Christianity had become corrupted during the first three centuries of our Common Era. He learned that the Church had promoted false teachings that eventually led to the adoption of the Trinity as an official doctrine. At the age of 20, Servetus published his book 'On the Errors of the Trinity', a work that made him a principal target of the Inquisition. Servetus saw things clearly. "In the Bible," he wrote, "there is no mention of the Trinity. . . . We get to know God, not through our proud philosophical concepts, but through Christ." He also came to the conclusion that the holy spirit is not a person but, rather, God's force in action. Such a view remains a challenge for anyone today, like Servetus, who is sincerely interested in Truth. A valuable lesson, and thank you, Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone for a great book!
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