Today's films and TV programs abound with fictional scientists and inventors, but presentations depicting actual people in these professions are considerably fewer in number. Although not all performances are true to the original model, the media's influence on the public perception of scientists and inventors can be significant. This phenomenon interests historian Van Riper, whose research focus includes the social and cultural dimensions of modern science and technology. For this book, he limits his examination to well-known scientists and inventors presented in US films made and distributed since 1930 and in widely broadcast TV programs. Documentaries are not included, but animated depictions of named people are. Van Riper has come up with a list of more than 80 individuals, ranging from Hippocrates and Aristotle to Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. They are grouped into four periods: "Ancient through Enlightenment," "The Nineteenth Century," "The Twentieth Century to 1945," and "The Twentieth Century after 1945." A short, readable biography and evaluation of performance appearances is given for each individual, along with a short list of screen citations and list of books for further reading. While the biographies make good reference points, the introduction, which is a detailed analysis of the collected data, will be of most interest to historians of science. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-level undergraduates and above; general readers.

CHOICE

The coverage by Van Riper, a historian who specializes in science and technology, is amazingly thorough and complete....This unusual but excellent book is recommended for large film and science collections.

American Reference Books Annual

A well laid out book which will be read with interest by various audiences. It certainly belongs in institutions running film studies and media courses. It would also prove a useful source work for students with assignments demonstrating how Hollywood depicts certain trades and roles. The biographies are certainly sufficiently detailed to make this book a useful source on the various scientists and inventors. Overall a very interesting work and a jolly good read!

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