Myriad, Microscopic and Marvellous: The World of Antoni van Leeuwenhoek

by Geertje Dekkers, Andy Brown (Translator)

Overview

The fascinating life and legacy of a pioneering seventeenth—century microbiologist.
 
The pioneering Dutch microbiologist Antoni van Leeuwenhoek uncovered hidden worlds of minuscule life. With his ingenious, self—made microscopes, he observed inconceivably tiny creatures and structures everywhere—in well water, sperm, pimples, and many other unlikely things besides. In the seventeenth century, his discoveries opened the door to realms previously unseen, making him a renowned researcher. Myriad, Microscopic and Marvellous explores van Leeuwenhoek’s brilliant and sometimes peculiar ideas, setting them in the context of his time. Geertje Dekkers reveals how van Leeuwenhoek’s curiosity and inventions propelled the study of nature in surprising new directions, leaving a legacy that is still admired three centuries later.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781836390978
Publisher:	Reaktion Books, Limited
Publication date:	12/25/2025
Pages:	216
Product dimensions:	5.43(w) x 8.50(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Geertje Dekkers is a historian and journalist who works for the Centraal Museum in Utrecht and the newspapers Historisch Nieuwsblad and de Volkskrant.


Andy Brown is a translator specializing in Dutch. He lives in the Netherlands.

Editorial Reviews

This book is by far the best biography of van Leeuwenhoek to date. It is thoroughly documented, very well written (at times very funny), and [strikes] the right balance between academic discourse and the commonsense approach so cherished by van Leeuwenhoek. . . . A must—read for anyone interested in van Leeuwenhoek and, more generally, the cultural world of the Dutch seventeenth century.

Eric Jorink

"We may know of Antoni van Leeuwenhoek the microscopist, but what of Van Leeuwenhoek the man? Dekkers offers a concise and captivating taste of his world as revealed by his copious letters. Come back to seventeenth—century Delft and see where microscopy was born."

Brian J. Ford

"Van Leeuwenhoek is deservedly famous in Holland for his astonishing microscopic discoveries but he’s almost unknown elsewhere. This is an informative and entertaining introduction to his life and work, setting his observations of micro—organisms, blood cells, and so on in the context of everyday life and the big scientific questions of early modern Europe. It restores Van Leeuwenhoek to his rightful place alongside Hooke, Newton, Leibniz, and other great scientists of his time."

Felicity Henderson