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The
Ascent of Man - Jacob Bronowski
The
Ascent of Man (1973) was a groundbreaking BBC documentary
series, produced in association with Time-Life Films,
produced by Adrian Malone, and written and presented
by Jacob Bronowski.
The
book of the series, The Ascent of Man: A Personal
View is an almost word-for-word transcript from
the original television episodes, diverging from Bronowski's
original narration only where the lack of images might
make its meaning unclear.
"This
was one of Tim's favorite televison shows," recalled
Judy, Tim's wife. "He bought the book as soon as
it appeared on sale in 1973"
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Jacob
Bronowski
(1908 – 1974) was a British mathematician and biologist
of Polish-Jewish origin. He is best remembered as the presenter
and writer of the 1973 BBC television documentary series, The
Ascent of Man.
Jacob
Bronowski was born in Lodz, Congress Poland, Russian Empire
in 1908. His family moved to Germany during the First World
War, and then to England in 1920. Although, according to Bronowski,
he knew only two English words on arriving in Great Britain,
he gained admission to the Central Foundation Boys' School
in London and went on to study at the University of Cambridge.
As
a mathematics student at Jesus College, Cambridge, Bronowski
co-edited — with William Empson — the literary periodical
Experiment, which first appeared in 1928. Bronowski would
pursue this sort of dual activity, in both the mathematical
and literary worlds, throughout his professional life.
He
first became familiar to the British public through appearances
on the BBC television version of The Brains Trust in
the late 1950s, but is better known for his thirteen part
series The Ascent of Man (1973). This was an inspiration
for Carl Sagan to make Cosmos in 1980. During the making
of The Ascent of Man, Bronowski was interviewed by
Michael Parkinson, and Bronowski's description of a visit
to Auschwitz — he had lost many family members during
the Nazi era — was described by Parkinson as one of his
most memorable interviews.
Jacob
Bronowski died in 1974 of a heart attack in East Hampton,
New York a year after The Ascent of Man was completed,
and was buried in the western side of London’s Highgate
Cemetery, near the entrance.
Source
- Wikipedia
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