The Explorer Gene: How Three Generations of One Family Went Higher, Deeper, and Further than Any Before

In this peerless tribute to a clan of European scientific pioneers, Cheshire, the deputy editor of the U.K. edition of Wired magazine, faithfully follows the accomplishments of three generations of Piccards—each driven by his “explorer gene” to find personal satisfaction in plumbing the depths of the unknown. The author is awed by this family of high achievers, beginning with Jules, who helped to design the first hydroelectric power plant; Auguste, who flew a balloon higher than any human before him; and his twin brother Jean Felix, who bested his record. Auguste was an adventurer who constructed a submersible and used it to dive to record depths; he fascinates with his almost boundless imagination, as he rubs shoulders with scientists like Albert Einstein and Marie Curie. Unfortunately, science had its detractors then too, with all of the Piccards meeting stiff opposition both in the press and among their peers. However, the illustrious family, as Cheshire engagingly depicts them, were supreme risk takers and scientific icons, and Auguste’s grandson, Bertrand, wants to continue their explorer legacy with a sun-powered plane flight around the globe.(Dec.)