I liked the book as pure history. The history of science is as important as any other history, and an understanding of the development of science over the past several centuries is important in understanding science. This is NOT a science book; it is a book of science from two centuries ago and should be read that way. It is also helpful if you have some background in reading 18th and 19th century English, which isn't hard but can be annoying when you are first learning.