How Long to Read The Travels and Adventures of Serendipity

How Long Does it Take to Read The Travels and Adventures of Serendipity?

It takes the average reader 5 hours and 50 minutes to read The Travels and Adventures of Serendipity by Robert King Merton

Assuming a reading speed of 250 words per minute. Learn more

Description

From the names of cruise lines and bookstores to an Australian ranch and a nudist camp outside of Atlanta, the word serendipity--that happy blend of wisdom and luck by which something is discovered not quite by accident--is today ubiquitous. This book traces the word's eventful history from its 1754 coinage into the twentieth century--chronicling along the way much of what we now call the natural and social sciences. The book charts where the term went, with whom it resided, and how it fared. We cross oceans and academic specialties and meet those people, both famous and now obscure, who have used and abused serendipity. We encounter a linguistic sage, walk down the illustrious halls of the Harvard Medical School, attend the (serendipitous) birth of penicillin, and meet someone who "manages serendipity" for the U.S. Navy. The story of serendipity is fascinating; that of The Travels and Adventures of Serendipity, equally so. Written in the 1950s by already-eminent sociologist Robert Merton and Elinor Barber, the book--though occasionally and most tantalizingly cited--was intentionally never published. This is all the more curious because it so remarkably anticipated subsequent battles over research and funding--many of which centered on the role of serendipity in science. Finally, shortly after his ninety-first birthday, following Barber's death and preceding his own by but a little, Merton agreed to expand and publish this major work. Beautifully written, the book is permeated by the prodigious intellectual curiosity and generosity that characterized Merton's influential On the Shoulders of Giants. Absolutely entertaining as the history of a word, the book is also tremendously important to all who value the miracle of intellectual discovery. It represents Merton's lifelong protest against that rhetoric of science that defines discovery as anything other than a messy blend of inspiration, perspiration, error, and happy chance--anything other than serendipity.

How long is The Travels and Adventures of Serendipity?

The Travels and Adventures of Serendipity by Robert King Merton is 350 pages long, and a total of 87,500 words.

This makes it 118% the length of the average book. It also has 107% more words than the average book.

How Long Does it Take to Read The Travels and Adventures of Serendipity Aloud?

The average oral reading speed is 183 words per minute. This means it takes 7 hours and 58 minutes to read The Travels and Adventures of Serendipity aloud.

What Reading Level is The Travels and Adventures of Serendipity?

The Travels and Adventures of Serendipity is suitable for students ages 12 and up.

Note that there may be other factors that effect this rating besides length that are not factored in on this page. This may include things like complex language or sensitive topics not suitable for students of certain ages.

When deciding what to show young students always use your best judgement and consult a professional.

Where Can I Buy The Travels and Adventures of Serendipity?

The Travels and Adventures of Serendipity by Robert King Merton is sold by several retailers and bookshops. However, Read Time works with Amazon to provide an easier way to purchase books.

To buy The Travels and Adventures of Serendipity by Robert King Merton on Amazon click the button below.