Recreating Newton: Newtonian Biography and the Making of Nineteenth-Century History of Science by Rebekah Higgitt
Synopsis: Examines Isaac Newton’s changing legacy during the nineteenth century. This book focuses on 1820-70, a period that saw the creation of the specialized and secularized role of the ‘scientist’. It shows how debates about Newton’s character stimulated historical scholarship and led to the development of a new expertise in the history of science.
Published: January 2007 | ISBN-13: 978-1851969067
Sticking with Newton and biography my next choice is Rebekah Higgitt’s Recreating Newton: Newtonian Biography and the Making of the Nineteenth-Century History of Science. It is always good to remember that our knowledge, understanding and interpretation of the past is not static or carved in stone but develops and changes over time. Becky’s (I should say she’s a friend) book is an excellent illustration of this fact. It examines how the popular perception of Newton changed in the nineteenth century under the pens of his various often-competing biographers. Along the way you get a lot of contextual knowledge about nineteenth-century science and history of science. – From 10 Great Books on the History of (European) Science Books