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Giants of Science
Isaac Newton
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 Secretive, vindictive, withdrawn, obsessive, and, oh, yes, brilliant.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 England, a time of plague, the Great Fire of London, and two revolutions.
126 pages, Hardcover
Published April 6, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
June 5, 2023
This biography for middle-grade, part of Giants of Science series, brings a fascinating figure of a man who during his childhood doesn’t form any deep bonds. It has a reflection later in his life as one of the leading scientist of his time instead of collaborating with other scientist to further the progress of science, he leads a few feuds.
Isaac Newton (1643-1727) was abandoned by his widowed mother when she remarried. He was raised by grandparents. After the death of her second husband, she reunited with her son, but the damage was done. The isolation and abandonment damaged him emotionally.
At twelve, he was sent to Grammar School where he boarded with the apothecary. That was a stimulating place for young Newton, where he learned creating different concoctions. At school, he was a poor student at first, but got noticed for his strange inventions. Later, rising to be a top student.
Newton’s uncle recognized that Isaac was talented and fit more within the university environment rather than tending a farm as his mother wished. Thanks to his uncle, Newton continued his education at Cambridge University. Bored with the school curriculum, he studied on his own the works of Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, Descartes and others.
As it goes with those legendary figures, there is usually some legend attached to them. While napping in the orchard, an apple fell on his head, which led him to many questions and the conclusion of such force as gravity.
In 1667, he became a fellow at Trinity College. He continued what interested him the most – the experiments. He was reluctant to publish his experiments as he feared plagiarism and criticism. Nevertheless, he published his first scientific paper on light in 1672. He hated the criticism and whined about losing his privacy. His next publication was in 1704. By failing to engage with other scientists, perhaps he impended his own and other’s progress.
It was interesting to learn something about Newton besides him being a famous British mathematician. It is a sad and touching story of a boy who never received nurturing. The biography sounds more like listing facts rather than creating a story from those facts. I enjoyed it. However, I’m not sure how engaging that would be for the targeted audience.
The black and white illustrations are just a few in this series, but they are amazing.
Isaac Newton (1643-1727) was abandoned by his widowed mother when she remarried. He was raised by grandparents. After the death of her second husband, she reunited with her son, but the damage was done. The isolation and abandonment damaged him emotionally.
At twelve, he was sent to Grammar School where he boarded with the apothecary. That was a stimulating place for young Newton, where he learned creating different concoctions. At school, he was a poor student at first, but got noticed for his strange inventions. Later, rising to be a top student.
Newton’s uncle recognized that Isaac was talented and fit more within the university environment rather than tending a farm as his mother wished. Thanks to his uncle, Newton continued his education at Cambridge University. Bored with the school curriculum, he studied on his own the works of Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, Descartes and others.
As it goes with those legendary figures, there is usually some legend attached to them. While napping in the orchard, an apple fell on his head, which led him to many questions and the conclusion of such force as gravity.
In 1667, he became a fellow at Trinity College. He continued what interested him the most – the experiments. He was reluctant to publish his experiments as he feared plagiarism and criticism. Nevertheless, he published his first scientific paper on light in 1672. He hated the criticism and whined about losing his privacy. His next publication was in 1704. By failing to engage with other scientists, perhaps he impended his own and other’s progress.
It was interesting to learn something about Newton besides him being a famous British mathematician. It is a sad and touching story of a boy who never received nurturing. The biography sounds more like listing facts rather than creating a story from those facts. I enjoyed it. However, I’m not sure how engaging that would be for the targeted audience.
The black and white illustrations are just a few in this series, but they are amazing.
October 16, 2012
Halfway through this book I didn't know if I could even finish it, but I finally did. Krull is incorporating a LOT of her own ideas about why Newton did something or what he did/didn't really do. Even though she usually prefaces this by saying "he probably...", it still has this tone like but only an idiot would disagree with me. Given that this is written for middle school and upper elementary ages, what do you think they are going to do when bullied by an author? Yes, take that author's word as solid truth. And if you can't separate opinions from facts, how do you know what to trust?
My second major issue with this book is that all of the sources she cites were written within the last 20 years. She's writing about a guy who lived almost 400 years ago, and the oldest book she consulted was from 1993? I would think a publishing biographer would need to include some sources a little bit closer to the time the subject actually lived. Not good research modelling for the target age group.
Another thing I really don't like is that though Krull acknowledges Newton himself said he was a Christian, she writes everything about his Biblical studies and the Church of England like it was some sort of torture he was forced to go through and he couldn't have possibly chosen to do those things of his own accord.
Lastly, since it is aimed a group of students who are in the formative years of becoming good writers and are usually just beginning to learn about doing serious papers on non-fiction issues, I do not like the writing style Krull models. She is VERY relaxed. She would write great, captivating fiction for this age group (as evidenced by the parts in this she speculates on and makes up). I feel like I'm reading a novel written like it is the journal of a young teenager. She includes sentence fragments (for example, p. 8 "For eight years."), some run-ons, and inserts her own opinions all over the place. This book would have been much better if Krull had turned it into a fiction novel based on Newton's life. It wouldn't have taken that much re-writing to do. She does incorporate some interesting facts and does a good job of explaining the science, but overall not a good biography.
My second major issue with this book is that all of the sources she cites were written within the last 20 years. She's writing about a guy who lived almost 400 years ago, and the oldest book she consulted was from 1993? I would think a publishing biographer would need to include some sources a little bit closer to the time the subject actually lived. Not good research modelling for the target age group.
Another thing I really don't like is that though Krull acknowledges Newton himself said he was a Christian, she writes everything about his Biblical studies and the Church of England like it was some sort of torture he was forced to go through and he couldn't have possibly chosen to do those things of his own accord.
Lastly, since it is aimed a group of students who are in the formative years of becoming good writers and are usually just beginning to learn about doing serious papers on non-fiction issues, I do not like the writing style Krull models. She is VERY relaxed. She would write great, captivating fiction for this age group (as evidenced by the parts in this she speculates on and makes up). I feel like I'm reading a novel written like it is the journal of a young teenager. She includes sentence fragments (for example, p. 8 "For eight years."), some run-ons, and inserts her own opinions all over the place. This book would have been much better if Krull had turned it into a fiction novel based on Newton's life. It wouldn't have taken that much re-writing to do. She does incorporate some interesting facts and does a good job of explaining the science, but overall not a good biography.
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February 17, 2016I'd suggest any parent to read this prior to your child, but I'm not rating it since I simply scanned it and discarded it. I picked it up at the library and scanned it because it looked well, fluffy, and there was a part that I'm pretty sure the author bias was coming through in regards to how terrible church going must have been for him and then flipping through I saw the word "homosexual" and I thought, what has this got to do with a scientist biography for middle schoolers? And it was solely speculation that he might have been gay. Does this have anything to do with the man's scientific achievements? Perhaps if he were definitely gay and it kept him from presenting a paper in front of someone of importance or something, it might have been considered worthy to be included, but speculating on someone's sexuality without extensive looking into the matter when there is little proof should be reserved for an in depth study in an adult non-fiction book. A simple scan tells me that Krull's books will not make it onto my schooling list, unfortunately. Thankfully there was a book entitled Isaac Newton and Gravity by Steve Parker right next to it. More than just cartoon illustrations and must more appropriate for the "gathering facts" stage that is elementary school. And the only comment talking about his bachelorhood is he "was often awkward in social situations. He was a strong Protestant, he never married, and he avoided women."
March 9, 2011
This is a biography of Sir Isaac Newton. He is viewed as one of the most influential scientists of all times, but many of the readers do not know that he was “secretive, withdrawn, obsessive, ruthless, bitter, perhaps in need of therapy”. The book concentrates on his achievements and also exposes his vindictive side.
The author, Kathleen Krull, uses short chapters to present the life of the scientist. Each chapter focuses on significant events in Newton’s life that shaped him as a person and cultivated his brilliant mind. The language that the author choses and the included anecdotes make this biography a fast and an interesting read. The book is illustrated by Boris Kulikov whose black-and-white drawings present a satirical view of seventeenth-century life in England.
The book is well researched. At the end of the book, the author lists the bibliography including books and articles especially for young readers. Additionally, there is a list of web sites verified in 2005 and related to Newton’s life and achievements. I found this book well written and informative and believe that any middle school student can learn a great deal about Sir Isaac Newton from this publication.
The author, Kathleen Krull, uses short chapters to present the life of the scientist. Each chapter focuses on significant events in Newton’s life that shaped him as a person and cultivated his brilliant mind. The language that the author choses and the included anecdotes make this biography a fast and an interesting read. The book is illustrated by Boris Kulikov whose black-and-white drawings present a satirical view of seventeenth-century life in England.
The book is well researched. At the end of the book, the author lists the bibliography including books and articles especially for young readers. Additionally, there is a list of web sites verified in 2005 and related to Newton’s life and achievements. I found this book well written and informative and believe that any middle school student can learn a great deal about Sir Isaac Newton from this publication.
February 4, 2013
I am currently reading Isaac Newton by Kathleen Krull. It talks about the life of Newton and when he is at a collage everyone is sent home because of a highly contagious deasease called the plaque it causes aches and high fevers and the telltale singing of having it is black swells. Newton calls this a wondrous year were he increases his studies. This is kind of depressing because today's there would probably be a cure. Also Newton must not like people very much because
it killed one of every four people. And this book talks of many other events were he shows that he doesn't like people. Sitting alone at meals after everyone had already cleared out. Not paying attention to his teachers in class, and saying mean things about his stepfather.
This book is ok and I give it one star.
September 28, 2014
A complete account of Newton's life and his importance to science. In addition to his contributions to physics, Newton also conducted many experiments with light and was an alchemist. He also was a biblical scholar (who could have been excommunicated for his views at the time).
It was during a year of relative isolation due to an outbreak of the plague that Newton made a breakthrough. "His patience and concentration were unparalleled - perhaps no one else in history has ever had the same power to focus, like a sharp beam of light," p. 52. He was reluctant to publish his early research due to fears of it being copied (plagiarized) by others, and this led to his ongoing battle with another scientist, Leibniz, that shows how stubborn, selfish, and underhanded Newton was.
It was during a year of relative isolation due to an outbreak of the plague that Newton made a breakthrough. "His patience and concentration were unparalleled - perhaps no one else in history has ever had the same power to focus, like a sharp beam of light," p. 52. He was reluctant to publish his early research due to fears of it being copied (plagiarized) by others, and this led to his ongoing battle with another scientist, Leibniz, that shows how stubborn, selfish, and underhanded Newton was.
January 14, 2010
Although this had a strong basis in the facts of Newton's life--as well as decent explanations of his scientific work and discoveries--I was turned off by the author's relentless disparaging of Newton's character. Not that I want whitewashing, but this book left a bad taste of fault-finding and sensationalism, not balance and fairness. Don't think I'll be looking into any more Krull biographies.
September 4, 2015
Please note: In Chapter Nine, Ms. Krull writes how some scholars speculate Isaac Newton may have been gay. This portion of the book was completely unnecessary!!!!!! Thank goodness it was my turn to read aloud to my children.
September 14, 2023
The author definitely had an agenda in this book to paint a different side of Isaac Newton. The description says that the book will "challenge your beliefs about this genius". I look forward to digging in more to the works cited in the bibliography, because of all I've read about Newton (not a whole lot, but some), I'd never read these things.
I'm not looking for flawless heroes. Goodness knows we're all human and I think it's important to understand that, but for example, the author makes a statement that Newton didn't have much time for romantic relationships (besides having taken a vow of celibacy) but then says that he had a close relationship with two of his roommates. After two paragraphs painting their relationship as homosexual, she concludes the section saying, there's no evidence that he was. Wait! What?! Then why put it in? This is a biography. Speculation about his life really doesn't need to be included if there's no evidence.
There are lessons to be learned even from the flaws in people's lives. We had great discussions about taking time to think before writing (and sending) harsh words and how much more dangerous that is in our electronic society. We chatted about receiving criticism, wanting to learn more than wanting to be right, and applauded Newton's approach to an epidemic that shut down his university and sent him home: a list of 20 questions he wanted to seek the answers to. What an incredible difference we might have had during the 2020 global pandemic if every person had done that! There's definitely much to be learned about this man who took time to ponder in a way we often miss these days.
Books like this are great for discussion, but it's left me with more research to do.
I'm not looking for flawless heroes. Goodness knows we're all human and I think it's important to understand that, but for example, the author makes a statement that Newton didn't have much time for romantic relationships (besides having taken a vow of celibacy) but then says that he had a close relationship with two of his roommates. After two paragraphs painting their relationship as homosexual, she concludes the section saying, there's no evidence that he was. Wait! What?! Then why put it in? This is a biography. Speculation about his life really doesn't need to be included if there's no evidence.
There are lessons to be learned even from the flaws in people's lives. We had great discussions about taking time to think before writing (and sending) harsh words and how much more dangerous that is in our electronic society. We chatted about receiving criticism, wanting to learn more than wanting to be right, and applauded Newton's approach to an epidemic that shut down his university and sent him home: a list of 20 questions he wanted to seek the answers to. What an incredible difference we might have had during the 2020 global pandemic if every person had done that! There's definitely much to be learned about this man who took time to ponder in a way we often miss these days.
Books like this are great for discussion, but it's left me with more research to do.
August 1, 2022
CYBILS finalist from the past.
I liked the balance between personality details and professional accomplishments, and how the author comments on the more unpleasant bits of personality but doesn't exactly wallow in them. It's a good way to hook kids -- see what a jerk this guy was? Can you believe it? But it tends to flatten any concept of historical realism; different ways of being a jerk mean different things in different times. Krull give the details but also give enough of a sense of the world around them; she is a person of our times telling about a person living hundreds of years ago. It's a difficult balance and I liked how she did it.
She also gives context to what Newton did, both his amazing discoveries and also the work he did in creating science as a discipline rather than a curiosity.
I liked the balance between personality details and professional accomplishments, and how the author comments on the more unpleasant bits of personality but doesn't exactly wallow in them. It's a good way to hook kids -- see what a jerk this guy was? Can you believe it? But it tends to flatten any concept of historical realism; different ways of being a jerk mean different things in different times. Krull give the details but also give enough of a sense of the world around them; she is a person of our times telling about a person living hundreds of years ago. It's a difficult balance and I liked how she did it.
She also gives context to what Newton did, both his amazing discoveries and also the work he did in creating science as a discipline rather than a curiosity.
August 25, 2024
Impulse from library. Definitely better for the target audience, especially for children so fascinated by STEM subjects that they don't develop social skills and don't need friends who aren't similarly interested.
"Plato is my friend, Aristotle is my friend, but my best friend is truth."
I agree.
Newton referred to poetry as "ingenious fiddle-faddle."
To a certain extent, I agree.
The book would be even better if it had included a timeline of world history, especially the history of the 'giants' upon whose 'shoulders he stood' but also which kings, what was happening in the New World, and in Arts & Literature. I will always argue that Context is Key to understanding.
"Plato is my friend, Aristotle is my friend, but my best friend is truth."
I agree.
Newton referred to poetry as "ingenious fiddle-faddle."
To a certain extent, I agree.
The book would be even better if it had included a timeline of world history, especially the history of the 'giants' upon whose 'shoulders he stood' but also which kings, what was happening in the New World, and in Arts & Literature. I will always argue that Context is Key to understanding.
November 17, 2019
Parts of this, I enjoyed.. dare I say that there were even parts that reminded me of Jean Fritz's historical writing style.
But. I feel like the author wrote this with major bias involved. I get that Newton was quirky... Most people know that. But in this case, it felt like she was picking on his quirks or making bigger issues than what was actually there.
Maybe someday I'll write a book on Newton.
But. I feel like the author wrote this with major bias involved. I get that Newton was quirky... Most people know that. But in this case, it felt like she was picking on his quirks or making bigger issues than what was actually there.
Maybe someday I'll write a book on Newton.
March 8, 2022
Better than a standard history book, but kind of a dry read nonetheless. I typically look for historical biographies that are more of a story with a plot that keeps the children's attention while helping them get to know the life of the person. This one did an okay job with this, but was not my favorite.
December 29, 2022
I first picked up this book, thinking it may be good for my son (eight years old), but quickly realized it may go over his head. I did enjoy learning about the English society back when Isaac Newton was alive, and multiple dimensions about this scientist.
November 17, 2023
Isaac Newton by Kathleen Krull is filled with science, history, and Newton's personal life from birth to after death. This has been one of my favorite reads from Kathleen Krull; her writing was vivid and gave me an up-close view of his love for physics and light.
May 14, 2017
Good read. It could have used a few more illustrations, they were excellent.
January 2, 2018
It was pretty good.
September 30, 2018
Not a bad book! I did read it in one sitting for school and it took about 1.5-2 hours. It can be a little boring but overall gets the information across!
December 17, 2019
I read this book so that the boys could read it. I learned quite a bit about his life, and found it interesting.
April 1, 2020
This was an audiobook, a great audiobook.
June 11, 2020
BLOO BLOO!!!
March 18, 2022
Was very interesting to read a quick read about the person newton was. The book is well written and it gives an easy look into The person Newton was
Read
April 13, 2022GREAT GREAT GREAT
May 8, 2022
Very interesting, and what a sad but important life
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July 22, 2022This was a brief yet interesting biography of Isaac Newton. I think it would even be interesting to read aloud to my kids.
September 4, 2023
Great book! I learned so many things about Isaac Newton that I did not know. The Boris Kulikov illustrations are great.
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July 14, 2024TC
September 12, 2008
JBIO NEWTON
This book was well-written for ages 10 and up.
Wow, little boy Isaac sure could have used a hug. He had a *horrible* childhood. My first impressions after finishing this book is that I'm certain he was autistic. (very intelligent, socially awkward-to-monstrous, hyper-sensitive to criticism, rigid and uncompromising, etc.) Being autistic made him difficult to understand, at best, and a strangely intelligent, freakish oddball at worst. I wonder if his mother was autistic as well. How else could you explain that she abandoned him at age 3 to remarry; didn't come back to live with him until that husband died; and despite being wealthy, refused to pay for his tuition at Cambridge, forcing him to earn his keep by serving the other students (even emptying their chamber pots)?
His obsession with alchemy, which he kept secret his whole life, was a surprise to me. Also his devotion to God, which I admire.
p 115 "I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me."
p 100 "In the absence of any other proof, the thumb alone would convince me of God's existence."
Major contributions to science:
laws of motion (gravity)
optics (white light is many colors)
scientific method (evidence-based hypothesis -> theorem -> law)
calculus
further study:
www.isaac-newton.org (commentary on Newton's heretical ideas)
http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/Exhibitions/...
www.newton.cam.ac.uk/newton
www.nypl.org/research/newton
http://www.newtonproject.sussex.ac.uk...
This book was well-written for ages 10 and up.
Wow, little boy Isaac sure could have used a hug. He had a *horrible* childhood. My first impressions after finishing this book is that I'm certain he was autistic. (very intelligent, socially awkward-to-monstrous, hyper-sensitive to criticism, rigid and uncompromising, etc.) Being autistic made him difficult to understand, at best, and a strangely intelligent, freakish oddball at worst. I wonder if his mother was autistic as well. How else could you explain that she abandoned him at age 3 to remarry; didn't come back to live with him until that husband died; and despite being wealthy, refused to pay for his tuition at Cambridge, forcing him to earn his keep by serving the other students (even emptying their chamber pots)?
His obsession with alchemy, which he kept secret his whole life, was a surprise to me. Also his devotion to God, which I admire.
p 115 "I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me."
p 100 "In the absence of any other proof, the thumb alone would convince me of God's existence."
Major contributions to science:
laws of motion (gravity)
optics (white light is many colors)
scientific method (evidence-based hypothesis -> theorem -> law)
calculus
further study:
www.isaac-newton.org (commentary on Newton's heretical ideas)
http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/Exhibitions/...
www.newton.cam.ac.uk/newton
www.nypl.org/research/newton
http://www.newtonproject.sussex.ac.uk...
January 2, 2015
Arguably Isaac Newton is the most influential scientist ever. In lively and anecdotal prose Krull explains and contextualizes Newton’s massive scientific contributions and illuminates his prickly and often vindictive personality. Wry pen and ink illustrations compliment this irreverent treatment.
Krull’s Giant’s of Science series sets a high bar for entertaining and informative biographies. Her conversational and assured tone carries the reader along as she explains the personalities and scientific accomplishments of these fascinating and influential individuals; her Isaac Newton is no exception. While most of her unflattering observations are well supported by facts included in the text, some of her more speculative topics: his sexual orientation, mental illness and religious beliefs, suffer from a treatment that feels too glib and condescending. For example can it really be right to refer to the man who elucidated the scientific method, developed calculus, the reflecting telescope, the laws of motion, the theory of gravity and of optics as “several slices short of a loaf.” While Krull does provide a bibliography, her lack of source notes combined with her sensationalist speculations diminishes her otherwise excellent and valuable book.
Front matter includes acknowledgments for research help and contents. Back matter includes a bibliography that highlights books and articles suitable for young readers, websites and an index. The lack of source notes, quotation sources or even an annotated biography is a real flaw in an otherwise outstanding, and highly readable, biography.
Krull’s Giant’s of Science series sets a high bar for entertaining and informative biographies. Her conversational and assured tone carries the reader along as she explains the personalities and scientific accomplishments of these fascinating and influential individuals; her Isaac Newton is no exception. While most of her unflattering observations are well supported by facts included in the text, some of her more speculative topics: his sexual orientation, mental illness and religious beliefs, suffer from a treatment that feels too glib and condescending. For example can it really be right to refer to the man who elucidated the scientific method, developed calculus, the reflecting telescope, the laws of motion, the theory of gravity and of optics as “several slices short of a loaf.” While Krull does provide a bibliography, her lack of source notes combined with her sensationalist speculations diminishes her otherwise excellent and valuable book.
Front matter includes acknowledgments for research help and contents. Back matter includes a bibliography that highlights books and articles suitable for young readers, websites and an index. The lack of source notes, quotation sources or even an annotated biography is a real flaw in an otherwise outstanding, and highly readable, biography.
December 17, 2010
this was a very good book lots of information and i learned a lot of things about Isaac Newton. One of the things I learned about Isaac Newton was that he had a hard life when his mom got married the man she married did not want to have kids in her house so she sent him to live with his grandparents. He used when he got older he spent days just experimenting he would go threw without eating or sleeping and he wouldn't even notice. Isaac Newton would experiment things on him self like poking and putting stuff in his eye many people were amazed that he didn't go blind with all of the things he did to his eye. he went to Cambridge college until one day there was a plague was happening so he had to go home which he hated all he wanted to was go back to college. it took to long but eventually he went back to college and he was glad he did. He had a hard beginning but Isaac Newton he ended his life on a good note.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews