The Technologists by Matthew Pearl

The year is 1868 and the location is Boston where an experiment in academia is happening.  The Massachusetts Institute for Technology is about to graduate its initial class.  Dedicated to science and using it to solve society's issues, the institute is not without controversy, mainly from those who think education should only be of the liberal arts as in that university across the river, Harvard.

Adding to the controversy is MIT's policy of taking talented student whatever their circumstances.  There are young men there from wealthy families like Robert Richards and Edwin Hoyt, who vie for the top of the academic lists.  But there are also men like Marcus Mansfield, a factory worker fresh back from the Civil War who is there on a scholarship.  Even more controversial, Ellen Swallow is the first woman admitted.  She is determined to make her way as a scientist even if her dream is considered scandalous.

Outside of the controversy about their curriculum and admitting practises, bigger problems face MIT.  Someone is using science to create a series of disasters; all the ships in the harbor simultaneously sinking; glass melting on buildings causing mayhem and human damage.  The group of students realized that these are man made disasters and that their purpose is to create sentiment against the university.  Can they find the culprit before more damage is done?

Matthew Pearl has made his mark writing books set in this time period.  He is known for such novels as The Dante Club, The Last Dickens and The Poe Shadow.  This novel is based on fact and many of the actual men who created MIT as well as some actual inaugural students are used here.  This book is recommended for readers of historical mysteries.