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Newton and Gravity: The Big Idea (Big Idea Series)
 
 
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Newton and Gravity: The Big Idea (Big Idea Series) [Paperback]

Paul Strathern (Author)
3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

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Book Description

Big Idea Series July 13, 1998
A good case can be made for Isaac Newton being the finest mind humanity has yet produced. His theory of gravity offered his contemporaries their first glimpse of how the universe actually works, and his mathematics enabled later generations to walk on the moon. Today, we know that gravity keeps our feet on the ground, but how many of us know how Newton's greatest discovery really works? In Newton & Gravity, Paul Strathern encapsulates several of Newton's more mind-expanding discoveries, explaining in lively prose their cultural context as well as Newton's early obsession with science (bordering on dementia) that made his revolutionary vision possible. Just a few of the big ideas covered here are:

Newton's discovery of calculus at age twenty-three Why gravity, one of the greatest human insights of all time, was in fact a hunch and how it actually works Why it took Newton twenty years after his discovery to reveal to the world the secret of gravity and planetary motion

Ideal for the intelligent reader eager to better understand how and why the universe works the way it does, Newton & Gravity is a fascinating refresher course that makes physics not only fun but shockingly easy to understand.

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Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

These two volumes are the first in a new series of Anchor paperback originals devoted to brief biographies of noted scientists. They are evidently aimed at lay readers, and their presentation is basic enough to be accessible to high school students. Athough the vivid writing incorporates humorous touches, so much attention is given over to the personal lives and psychology of the subjects that little space is left to expound on their "big ideas." In addition, Strathern (Aristotle in 90 Minutes, LJ 11/1/96) displays at times an almost flippant attitude toward factual accuracy in the historical parts of his discussion. The fundamental concept of this series is very promising, as library patrons can always use high-quality popularizations, but its implementation in these first two volumes is disappointing on the whole.?Jack W. Weigel, Univ. of Michigan Lib., Ann Arbor
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Inside Flap

A good case can be made for Isaac Newton being the finest mind humanity has yet produced. His theory of gravity offered his contemporaries their first glimpse of how the universe actually works, and his mathematics enabled later generations to walk on the moon. Today, we know that gravity keeps our feet on the ground, but how many of us know how Newton's greatest discovery really works? In Newton & Gravity, Paul Strathern encapsulates several of Newton's more mind-expanding discoveries, explaining in lively prose their cultural context as well as Newton's early obsession with science (bordering on dementia) that made his revolutionary vision possible. Just a few of the big ideas covered here are:

Newton's discovery of calculus at age twenty-three Why gravity, one of the greatest human insights of all time, was in fact a hunch and how it actually works Why it took Newton twenty years after his discovery to reveal to the world the secret of gravity and planetary motion

Ideal for the intelligent reader eager to better understand how and why the universe works the way it does, Newton & Gravity is a fascinating refresher course that makes physics not only fun but shockingly easy to understand.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 112 pages
  • Publisher: Anchor; 1st Anchor Books ed edition (July 13, 1998)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0385492413
  • ISBN-13: 978-0385492416
  • Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.3 x 8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,269,073 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

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Average Customer Review
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9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars A quick read, but shallow, August 18, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Newton and Gravity: The Big Idea (Big Idea Series) (Paperback)
Strathern's summary of the life of Issac Newton is less than 90 pages of unusually large print -- a very quick read indeed. At best, it is a superficial glance that provides little insight into the life or work of Newton.

In many ways, the book is a contradiction. Strathern's approach is more suited to a children's book, but his writing style is intended for an educated adult. For me, the result was fast-paced boredom.

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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars I Love the Book, December 15, 2001
By 
Lynn P. Abrahamson (Brigham City, UT United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Newton and Gravity: The Big Idea (Big Idea Series) (Paperback)
This book told me several significant points about Issac that I (and most other people) are not aware of. It also inspired me to learn more. It requires a small amount of time to read. For me that is an advantage.

This is a great book for people that avoid fat books which are padded with trivial details that can't be remembered anyway.

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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
ISAAC NEWTON was born on Christmas Day 1642 in the manor house at the hamlet of Woolsthorpe in Lincolnshire. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Royal Society, Isaac Newton, Trinity College, Lucasian Professor of Mathematics, God the Father, Master of the Mint
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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