The book presents a comprehensive portrait of Galileo and a vivid depiction of his time. Galileo's scientific and philosophical work is significant not only because of the issues he addressed but also because it expresses a rebellion, which often takes the form of fierce irony, against spiritual and institutional constraints.

The author crafts the image of the great scientist and thinker and describes his works and the events that led to his trial and condemnation by the Roman Catholic Church with precision and without sentimentality.

This edition is based on the twenty volumes of Galileo's Complete Works, while also referencing sources from that era.