Martin Meisel

Chaos Imagined: Literature, Art, Science by Martin Meisel is a masterful work that serves as both a history (of sorts) of the concept of chaos as well as detailed analyses of various texts to illustrate how perceptions were expressed and eventually changed.

This is not a simple read but it is quite accessible to anyone who likely is interested in an interdisciplinary volume about chaos. It is not so much a difficult read as it is a broad read which invites readers to ponder what they have just read and to possibly (re)read the texts under discussion. This is a wonderful book to work through slowly with a blank journal at hand.

The depth and breadth of Meisel's knowledge is impressive, providing excellent explanations of scientific material while also offering superb analyses of literary and philosophical texts. In doing so he manages to avoid excessive jargon (it cannot be completely avoided, some topics simply need their specialized vocabulary) but his explanations excel in the areas that require specialized terminology.

Chaos underwent a significant change in how it is perceived in the 18th and 19th centuries, as Meisel illustrates remarkably. It went from disruptive and associated with evil or bad while order was its opposite, perceived as good and desirable. Chaos then became more closely associated with the freedom of potential, in no small part due to understanding that the world is more chaotic than it is ordered.

I would hesitate to put this into the pop category of science-themed books that are so useful for the general public, but I do think it would be enjoyable to most who like those works. Because the author ranges over so many areas (literature, science, art, film, etc) there are many opportunities for a reader to find an interesting avenue into the topic, which makes this an ideal volume for those who like to think deeply as well as broadly.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.… (más)