Isaac Newton: The Last Sorcerer

Unknown to all but a few, Newton was a practicing alchemist who dabbled with the occult, a tortured, obsessive character who searched for an understanding of the universe by whatever means possible. Sympathetic yet balanced, Michael White’s Isaac Newton offers a revelatory picture of Newton as a genius who stood at the point in history where magic ended and science began.

"Unknown to all but a few, Newton was a practicing alchemist who dabbled with the occult, a tortured, obsessive character who searched for an understanding of the universe by whatever means possible. S"

Library Journal

Considering the large number of books written about Isaac Newton, another such volume hardly seems necessary. Nevertheless, this revisionist biography clearly deserves consideration. White, coauthor of Stephen Hawking: A Life in Science (LJ 5/1/92) and a regular contributor to numerous scholarly and popular periodicals including New Scientist, reveals a Newton who was not only a brilliant scientist but also a man who spent a large part of his life intensely involved with alchemy, leaving us over one million words on the subject. Newton also spent a considerable amount of time studying biblical prophecy, astrology, numerology, and natural magic. Noting that the distinction between science and magic in the 1600s was not as clear-cut as it is today, White does not intend to dethrone Newton; rather he asks us to see Newton as a man and to accept his peculiarities and failings along with his skills and talents. Well written and researched, White's book is recommended for public and academic libraries.James Olson, Northeastern Illinois Univ. Lib., Chicago

Michael White was a science lecturer and director of studies at d’Overbroeck’s College, Oxford for ten years before becoming a full-time writer and journalist. He is the co-author (with John Gribben) of the best seller, Stephen Hawking: A Life In Science which has been translated into 25 languages and has sold in excess of 250,000 copies worldwide. He is a regular contributor to The Sunday Times, The Observer, The Daily Telegraph, GQ, Focus and New Scientist, writing on subjects ranging from pure science to music. He lives in London.