Book Log 2012 #40: The Technologists by Matthew Pearl

Pearl stays in the 19th century but leaves the authors behind in his latest book, which sees a group of students at the newly formed Massachusetts Institute of Technology fight the Harvard snobs (who look down at the school for its practical approach and enrollment of both charity scholars and a woman) and anti-science locals (particularly trade unionists) to investigate a number of incidents in Boston where someone has used scientific principles to create chaos. As the severity of these incidents increases, the group risks losing the school (and their lives) to find the culprit and keep MIT afloat.

Most of the characters in the book are historical figures, even the students who are part of the investigating group (many of whom went on to become MIT faculty). I found looking into their actual lives as interesting as the book itself, an inspiration that doesn't always spring from historical fiction. I did find some of the twists at the end irritating, but I don't know if it's because I felt they were unnecessary or if I just wanted to find out who was behind things.

Certainly worth a read.