Newton and the Counterfeiter focuses on the scientist's second, lesser-known career as Warden of the Mint, having earned that plum job in his fifties as a reward for being a well-known genius. In his capacity as Warden, Newton sets about reforming the coining processes. The author shows how Newton's willingness to get his hands dirty led him to experiment to discover the most efficient coining practices. This to me was the most interesting aspect of the book, but the author doesn't dwell too much on it.

In his other capacity as Warden, Newton was responsible for investigating and prosecuting counterfeiters. Levenson shows how Newton applied the logical processes he used in his scientific work to discover and make legal cases against these counterfeiters. In particular, the book focuses on one William Chaloner, whose history of crimes wouldn't exactly inspire the title of master criminal.

Nor would it inspire a book if his antagonist wasn't named Newton, because, let's face it, Newton is the star of the book and deserves to be. Levenson works awfully hard to portray Chaloner as a criminal worthy of Newton's intellect, but I didn't buy it -- he seemed to me like just another ambitious, yet petty thief.

In any case, as far as this book goes, the counterfeiter serves merely as an excuse to put Newton into a role one would normally not associate him with. It was fascinating to read about Newton having to deal with the interrogation and prosecution of criminals.

Newton and the Counterfeiter is written in a very clear style, and because its focus is on a kind of dramatic narrative, it was a much easier read than a typical biography. I loved it and would recommend it to anyone. (I docked it one star because the text lacked inline markers for endnotes). ( )

Can a book about Isaac Newton and his time as the Warden of the British Mint be a page truning mystery. The answer is a definite, yes. Starting with his early days and using his deveopment of ideas for the Principia as a stepping off point, Thomas Levenson has written a concise but excellent book about Newton and his clash with the preminent "coiner" of his day, William Chaloner. In the process of managing the Mint, he resucitates the British coin based economy in dire danger due to clipping and counterfeiting the vulnerable silver based currency of the day. While doing so, he posits an economy based on paper currency as well as becoming possibly the first big city cop even before the word was coined, pun intended. His methodology was that of empirical analysis; to observe, to measure, then, to act on the data. In appying this approach, He mastered every dirty job that law enforcemnt rrequires today. He used surveilance, informers, minute and thorough collection of evidence coupled with skilled interogation with a little bit of help from the very venal justice of the time to finally bring Chaloner to the gallows. ( )

Well-researched and well-written. An interesting look at how even Isaac Newton was given to human impulses. ( )

Thomas Levenson's Newton and the Counterfeiter: The Unknown Detective Career of the World's Greatest Scientist (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009) highlights a little-known entry on Isaac Newton's C.V., his time as Warden of the Royal Mint in the late 1690s. Levenson contrasts Newton with one William Chaloner, a big-time counterfeiter whose downfall Newton eventually secured, but not until Chaloner had managed to tweak the strings of justice a few times.

The book works. Levenson provides capsule histories of Newton's scientific and alchemical careers, plus the English financial, political and criminal justice systems (particularly as relevent to counterfeiting). He puts the existing sources to good use in trying to suss out details about Chaloner's life and activities (plus those of other forgers, coiners and rogues). The way he manages to bring the two together was effective, and carried off very well. It's the kind of story that would make a good novel, but which written by the right person works even better as history.

I'll quibble, as usual, that the notes (which are very good) are not indicated in the text. The bibliography is extensive, and useful. Overall, a fine read, and one I'll happily recommend.

http://philobiblos.blogspot.com/2009/... ( )