If I Am Right, and I Know I Am

Inge Lehmann deserves renewed attention not only for her contributions to illuminating the internal structure of our planet—which were fundamental indeed—but also for her accomplishments in the face of many professional and personal challenges. If I Am Right, and I Know I Am is a story of defiance, resilience, and, against many odds, startling professional achievement. But even more revealing, this is a story of the foundational personalities and interpersonal relationships during one of the most productive times for geology, when subfields like seismology were contributing to paradigmatic shifts in our understanding of a dynamic Earth. – Arthur L. Lerner-Lam, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia UniversityA remarkable yet little-known figure, Inge Lehmann made pivotal contributions to geology by decoding seismic data that settled many open questions, including the structure of Earth’s core, in the 1930s. This brilliant and extremely well-researched biography of a pioneering scientist chronicles her triumphs and tribulations, ultimately revealing the sheer joy of scientific discovery while documenting how science is powered by passion and perseverance. Beautifully written, it is a fascinating and must-read account for anyone interested in the history of scientific ideas and what the life of the mind entailed in the twentieth century. – Priyamvada Natarajan, Joseph S. and Sophia S. Fruton Professor of Astronomy and professor of physics, Yale UniversityStrager intersperses some discussion about early geoscience throughout the book, always in an accessible manner and without oversimplifying. * Midwest Book Reviews *

Hanne Strager is a biologist and acclaimed science writer. Her books include The Killer Whale Journals: Our Love and Fear of Orcas (2023), which received a National Outdoor Book Award. She is the director of exhibitions of The Whale in Norway and was formerly the director of exhibitions at the Natural History Museum of Denmark.