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1. Explain the opening letter in "Galileo's Daughter" by Dava Sobel. Who was the writer? What was the subject?

"Galileo's Daughter" begins with a letter written on May 10, 1623 from Suor Maria Celeste to her father. The purpose of the letter was to send condolences to Galielo on the occasion of the death of Virginia Galilei, Galileo's sister, and the woman after whom Maria Celeste was originally named before taking her vows at the Convent of San Matteo.

2. What is the structure of the book? How many letters are there in total?

Sobel designed the book to read as a journal interjected with historical fact. The first letter is one of 124 letters surviving from Maria Celeste to Galileo.

3. Why do you think Maria Celeste had such a special bond with her father, aside from her position in the family?

In addition to being the oldest child, Maria Celeste was the only one that had her father's intelligence, sensibility, and industry.

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