Practically Passionate

We’re delighted to welcome back the incomparable Dava Sobel, bestselling author, award-winning science writer, and the brilliant mind behind Longitude, Galileo’s Daughter, and The Glass Universe. Her work has illuminated the human stories behind some of history’s greatest scientific discoveries, earning her international acclaim and a devoted readership that spans generations.In this episode, Dava shares the fascinating story behind how Longitude became a global success, from cultivating genuine one-on-one relationships with readers to collaborating with a small publisher that believed in the power of beautiful design. She recalls the early days of marketing before social media, when a thoughtfully crafted book cover, a creative insert, or a well-placed newspaper review could change everything. And in perhaps the most remarkable twist of all, she tells how Neil Armstrong — yes, the first man to walk on the moon — wrote the foreword for the 10th-anniversary edition of Longitude, connecting one historic journey