In the early 20th century, the science of meteorites was at a low ebb. Then, in 1923, Harvey H. Nininger, a trained biologist, witnessed a great fireball that plunged him headlong into an exciting new field: meteoritics. In this remarkable book, Nininger, often called “the father of modern meteoritics,” recounts in his own words his long love affair with “falling stars,” those “stones from the sky” that rain down upon Earth from outer space in great, but little-known, profusion.
This newly expanded autobiography, compiled from his original manuscripts, tells his complete life story as he always wished it to be told, beginning with his upbringing in backwoods farming communities where education was discouraged and following his exploits through his eventual recognition as a pioneer and expert in an increasingly important field. Told in detail with straightforward ease, this fascinating tale illustrates the single-minded persistence of a classic adventurer and scientist who, in the face of an almost impossible dream, refused to be diverted by seemingly overwhelming obstacles.