Chapter and chapter about for the stories of Carl Gauss and Alexander Humboldt, German prodigies of the late eighteenth century who set out to analyse all knowledge through rational thought (Gauss) or empirical observation (Humboldt). Sounds boring? Well believe me, it's one the most gripping reads of the century as well as being full of dry humour. A must read - and you can lower the difficulty/unexpected scores if you are already familiar with either or both of the main characters.
