I guess I'm the one you have to blame for suggesting the book. I really
meant it as a book to introduce students to the times, particularly the
eighteenth century, the time when the thirteen colonies were feeling
their independence and actually attaining it. many great scientists are
to be reckoned with in the period - Herschel (and don't forget Caroline
Herschel) discovered a new planet; Ben Franklin greatly clarified the
concept of electricity (he was a truly remarkable scientist). It was a
time of great advances in invention, in truth putting today's technical
(Whoops, the newspeak word is "technological") "revolution" very much
in the shade by comparison. Scientific literacy was more widespread
among the educated in that time than it is today, though of course a
larger fraction of the population is classed as "educated" today. How
they can be deemed educated without a knowledge of science has always
puzzled me!
Another good slim book relating to the period and to the subject of
lightning is "The Flight of Thunderbolts" by Basil Schonland. There
are many books written about science in that period. See references to
the work of American born Benjamin Thompson, later Count Rumford, who
is responsible for the discovery that heat is not a fluid, simultaneously
laying the foundation for the concept of energy. I realize that I have
emphasized the American contributions a bit, but that is probably not an
idea that will be unpopular with your humanities colleagues.
You're going to have to do some digging on your own, but I urge you to do
it. You'll profit from the experience, and I believe you will enjoy it.