Newton and the Counterfeiter

Produktbeschreibung zu Newton and the Counterfeiter

After hed become famous throughout Europe for his new theories of planetary motion and gravity, Isaac Newton left his sheltered room in Cambridge University and took on the job of running the Royal Mint. And there he became involved in a deadly struggle with the most skilful counterfeiter of the age, Thomas Chaloner, a man who not only got away with faking the kings coins (a crime that the law equated with treason) but accused Newton of incompetence and tried to ease him out of the Mint so that he could take it over.

Chaloner had no idea who he was taking on. Newton pursued his enemy with all the cold, implacable logic that he brought to his scientific research.

And their struggle was given added interest because Newton had for years been obsessed with alchemy, the search to turn base metal into gold, which many saw as a crime against divine law.

Levenson sets this extraordinary tale against the backdrop of early 18th century London with its sewers running down the middle of the streets, its packed houses, its smoke and fog, its industries and its port, into which ships were sailing in their hundreds with sugar, spices, furs and metals. This is a compelling book about crime, science and money, and transforms our image of Britains greatest scientist.

Produktinformation

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Thomas Levenson ist Dokumentarfilmer, dessen Arbeit bereits mit dem Emmy und dem Peabody Award ausgezeichnet wurde. U.a. stammt von ihm eine zweistündige Fernsehbiografie über Albert Einstein.