The Man Who Organized Nature: The Life of Linnaeus

A vivid portrait of the life and work of Carl Linnaeus

Carl Linnaeus (17071778), known as the father of modern biological taxonomy, formalized and popularized the system of binomial nomenclature used to classify plants and animals. Linnaeus himself classified thousands of species; the simple and immediately recognizable abbreviation L is used to mark classifications originally made by Linnaeus. This biography, by the leading authority on Linnaeus, offers a vivid portrait of Linnaeuss life and work. Drawing on a wide range of previously unpublished sourcesincluding diaries and personal correspondenceas well as new research, it presents revealing and original accounts of his family life, the political context in which he pursued his work, and his eccentric views on sexuality.

The Man Who Organized Nature describes Linnaeuss childhood in a landscape of striking natural beauty and how this influenced his later work. Linnaeuss Lutheran pastor father, knowledgeable about plants and an enthusiastic gardener, helped foster an early interest in botany. The book examines the political connections that helped Linnaeus secure patronage for his work, and untangles his ideas about sexuality. These were not, as often assumed, an attempt to naturalize gender categories but more likely reflected the laissez-faire attitudes of the era. Linnaeus, like many other brilliant scientists, could be moody and egotistical; the book describes his human failings as well as his medical and scientific achievements. Written in an engaging and accessible style, The Man Who Organized Natureone of the only biographies of Linnaeus to appear in Englishprovides new and fascinating insights into the life of one of historys most consequential and enigmatic scientists.