Alexander Von Humboldt Or What May Be Accomplished in a Life Time

By F. A. Schwarzenberg.

I wanted to love this book, the story of Alexander Von Humboldt. Humboldt explored the world during the early 1800's, documenting his discoveries.

But this book... it sucked the energy out of me. I failed to make it through.

"What May Be Accomplished in a Life Time" is not a linear biography. It consists of many little anecdotes about Von Humboldt, each no more than a half a page. Every anecdotes praises Humboldt for something he did, then tells a little story to illustrate the point. Praises for this thoroughness is followed by a story of him taking detailed notes. Praise for his persuasiveness is followed by a story of how he changed someones mind. And so on. And so on.

Between the anecdotes there is much empty, flowery verbiage.

At a higher level, the stories don't connect together. They are not told in chronological order or according to another theme. All I really learnt was that than Schwarzenberg admired Von Humboldt and wanted you to feel the same.