James Gleick has long been fascinated by the making of science -- how ideas order visible appearances, how equations can give meaning to molecular and stellar phenomena, how theories can transform what we see. In Chaos, he chronicled the emergence of a new way of looking at dynamic systems; in Genius, he portrayed the wondrous dimensions of Richard Feymnan's mind. Now, in Isaac Newton, he gives us the story of the scientist who, above all others,...

What was Isaac Newton like? Secretive, vindictive, withdrawn, obsessive, and, oh, yes, brilliant. His imagination was so large that, just "by thinking on it," he invented calculus and figured out the scientific explanation of gravity.Yet Newton was so small-minded that he set out to destroy other scientists who dared question his findings. Here is a compelling portrait of Newton, contradictions and all, that places him against the backdrop of 17th-century...

The wife of the reknowned British physicist describes their courtship and marriage, her years caring for his physical needs, his rise to prominence as a scientist and world celebrity, their bitter divorce, and later reconciliation.

Isaac Newton was a revolutionary thinker who changed how we look at everything from gravity and optics to astronomy. He even invented a whole new type of math: calculus! This book follows Newton's journey of discovery from his childhood on an English farm through his years learning and teaching at Oxford and working with the Royal Society. It provides in-depth biographical and science information and puts Newton's immense discoveries in historical...

"Readers learn about one of the most celebrated and inspiring physicists of all time, delving into Hawking's life story, cosmological discoveries, and disability activism"--

Paul Dirac was among the great scientific geniuses of the modern age. One of the discoverers of quantum mechanics, one of Einstein's most admired colleagues, Dirac was in 1933 the youngest theoretician ever to win the Nobel Prize in physics. Based on previously undiscovered archives, this biography reveals the many facets of Dirac's brilliantly original mind as well as the spectacularly exciting era of scientific discovery in which he lived.

"This book traces the life of Isaac Newton, from his early childhood and education through his sources of inspiration and challenges faced, early successes, and the work on gravity and light for which he is best known. A timeline at the end of the book summarizes key milestones and achievements of Newton's life."--

Beyond reaching the pinnacle of success in his field, the preeminent physicist Stephen Hawking also has made a name for himself as a best-selling author. His books bring the wonders of the universe to the masses. Hawking himself is revealed to the public in this book, which follows his rise from apathetic schoolboy to respected scientist and writer. Along the way readers discover how Hawking has dealt with having ALS, and what critics have said about...

Documents the life and work of theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking.