From Newton to Hawking

Subtitled 'A History of Cambridge University's Lucasian Professors of Mathematics', this book is effectively a social history of mathematics and physics. It is named after the second and current holders of the chair, whose occupants also include Charles Babbage and Paul Dirac - the longest serving of the 20th century. These people have been at the centre of the scientific developments of their age, and the volume is all the more valuable for being written by some distinguished historians of science who situate their subjects firmly in their intellectual and social context. The editors' introduction provides a historical overview that is then elaborated in the subsequent chapters on individual holders. It is a book that can be enjoyed by all interested in the history of science.