A new biography of Carl Linnaeus offering a vivid portrait of Linnaeus's life and workCarl
Linnaeus (1707-1778) 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is used to mark classifications originally made by Linnaeus.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 Linnaeus's life and work. Drawing on a wide
range of previously unpublished sources-including diaries and personal correspondence-as well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 Linnaeus's childhood in a landscape of striking natural beauty and
how this influenced his later work. Linnaeus's 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 Nature-one of the only biographies of Linnaeus to
appear in English-provides new and fascinating insights into the life of one of history's most
consequential and enigmatic scientists--
