Isaac Newton is generally regarded as one of the greatest scientists in history yet the spectrum of his interests was much broader than that of a contemporary scientist He was deeply involved in alchemical religious & biblical studies & in the later part of his life he played a prominent role in British politics economics & the promotion of scientific research Newton's pivotal work Philosophiae naturalis principia mathematica which sets out his laws of universal gravitation & motion is regarded as one of the most important works in the history of science Niccolo Guicciardini's enlightening biography offers an accessible introduction to Newton's celebrated work in mathematics optics & astronomy & to how Newton viewed these scientific fields in relation to his quest for the deepest secrets of the universe matter theory & religion Guicciardini sets Newton the natural philosopher in the troubled context of the religious & political debates that took place during Newton's life which spanned from the years of the Civil War to the Restoration the Glorious Revolution & the Hanoverian succession Taking into account the latest Newtonian scholarship this fast-paced biography will appeal to all those with an interest in this iconic figure & the great scientific revolution of the early modern period