Home
/
Non-Fiction
/
Brief Lives 3 - Newton
Brief Lives 3 - Newton
Oct 5, 2024 4:01 PM

Author:Peter Ackroyd

Brief Lives 3 - Newton

Isaac Newton (1642-1727), the English genius, made his greatest contributions to original thought before the age of twenty-five, while at home in Lincolnshire escaping the great plague of 1665, a period of which he wrote: 'I was in the prime of age for invention.'

Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge, an MP, Master of the Mind and President of the Royal Society, Newton, the author of Principia, one of the most important books in the history of science, was fascinated by calculus, the planets and the 'laws of motion', and, in keeping with his age, blurred the borders between natural philosophy and speculation: he was as passionate about astrology as astronomy and dabbled in alchemy, while his religious faith was never undermined by his scientific reasoning.

Peter Ackroyd brings this somewhat puritanical man to life and demonstrates the unique brilliance of his perceptions, which changed our world forever.

Reviews

A terrific piece of work ... this is a wonderfully writerly book, never less than elegant in construction and execution

—— Marcus Berkmann , Spectator

Written in splendidly elastic prose, each sentence a springboard for the next, it provides a concise, fair and highly readable biography of a singular genius

—— Nigel Hawkes , The Times

Beautifully written and engaging

—— Allan Chapman , BBC History

Ackroyd has a fine eye for the intimate, thorny details that breathe life into biographies

—— Herald

Ranging from sex to breast-feeding, fights to teenage girls, Brizendine communicates in a fresh, engaging style, explaining the structure of the brain, which determines women's thoughts, values and communication skills. A fantastic guide from a heavyweight academic.

—— Good Book Guide

Lloyd is one of the gurus of quantum and information theory, and in this accessible book he presents an insightful new perspective on the cosmos

—— Sir Martin Rees, University of Cambridge

Renowned for his innovative conflation of pure physics and computation, Lloyd is well positioned to hack his way into space-time and come back with answers

—— Seed

What an astonishing book! Lloyd is at the forefront of a revolution

—— Kevin Kelly, Editor-at-Large , Wired

While a theory for time travel is in itself extraordinary, Mallett's own story of how he became one of the first African-American PhDs is just as remarkable . . . There have been a number of time travel books published of late, but this is one of the more accomplished. His theory is the first serious and practical attempt at making the impossible possible. The Time Traveller is about far more than theory, however, and will undoubtedly serve as inspiration to budding scientists and the general reader alike.

—— Science Book Reviews

Physicist Mallett's theory that "space and time can be manipulated" to make time travel possible has gained national media attention. His research and theories flow nicely through this easy-to-read autobiography. Mallett's, one of the first African-American Ph.D.s in theoretical physics, (and bestselling author Henderson's) simple prose makes for clear and concise explanations of the science involved. The author comes across as a warm, inspired, driven, troubled man who is generous in his descriptions of others and must be an excellent teacher at the University of Connecticut, where he is a physics professor. Mallett describes the path of his education and research into black holes and circulating lasers, which he believes drag time into a closed loop suitable for time travel. Due to the basic level of the science content and the focus on Mallett's personal quest, this book is best suited for a general rather than a science-leaning audience, or as an inspirational text for aspiring young scientists. B&w photos.

—— Publisher's Weekly

Science and memoir combine in the story of a black boy from the Bronx who turned his dreams into reality.

—— Waterstones Quarterly

An engaging and, at times, moving read.

—— www.the-void.co.uk

A terrific book . . . once you start it you'll be hooked.

—— www.motorbar.co.uk

Brimming with excitement . . . This is a rewarding tale of courage, determination, and the possibilities of science.

—— The Star
Comments
Welcome to zzdbook comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Copyright 2023-2024 - www.zzdbook.com All Rights Reserved