The Age of Wonder and Beyond, British Library

Scientific innovation and Romantic poetry seem unlikely bedfellows. But, as The Age of Wonder and Beyond will reveal, the late 18th century saw an overlap of the two disciplines. Acclaimed historian and biographer Richard Holmes will shed some light on the flurry of scientific advances – ranging from hot air balloons to astronomy – and explore the influence these revolutionary discoveries had upon the contemporary Romantic writers. The surprising role of science in inspiring Romantic literature will enrich understanding of works from Coleridge, Byron, Keats and Mary Shelley. 

A series of images and illustrations will bring the late romantic era alive, while Richard Holmes’s eloquent expertise demystify the complexities and contradictions. His best-selling book, The Age of Wonder, was described by the New York Times as an ‘amazingly ambitious, buoyant new fusion of history, art, science, philosophy and biography’.