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Co-author Herbert Hauptman is the first mathematician to win a Nobel Prize. He won it in 1985 in Chemistry for his work in applying advanced mathematics to X-Ray Crystallography.

Arthur Ziffer is a friend of Herbert Hauptman and worked with him when they were both at the Naval Research Laboratory.

This is a one act play with six scenes about the mathematician Isaac Newton when he was England’s “Master of the Mint”.

“A Play of Scientific Exploits and Discoveries

Authors Arthur Ziffer and Herbert Hauptman helm a profound six scene, one-act play, “On The Shoulders of Giants” are about famous scientists and mathematicians Sir Isaac Newton, Robert Hooke, and others sparked conflicts during his time as England’s Master of Mint

The source is based on correspondence to Robert Hooke in the year 1675, Sir Isaac Newton made this well-known quote: “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.” The statement has now become a terminology used to note scientific development. Robert Merton also did an investigation of the origin of the metaphor in his “On the Shoulders of Giants” book in 1965. The metaphor was traced to the French philosopher Bernard of Chartres, who mentioned that we are like little men on the shoulders of giants since we have a better field of view more than them and objects at a far distance and also having that advantage of being positioned and being elevated at a greater height.

The play is composed of six scenes in one act, with characters having Isaac Newton, Catherine Barton, Newton’s niece, Robert Hooke, Gottfried Leibniz, and Clarissa Chaloner, wife of counterfeiter William Chaloner. Most of the interactions are all about arguments of various discoveries in the past century, including Kepler’s laws of different planetary movements that were in vogue during that time and sparked the interest of the scientific community.

The dialogue is both witty and humorous with chaotic scenarios that will leave you amused. It also contains the depictions of various conflicts that Newton had with fellow scientist Robert Hooke and the mathematician Leibniz. One of the scenes also contains the pressure Newton experienced from the members of the English Scientific Royal Society.

It partially includes Britain’s currency crisis where counterfeiting was rampant during that period where Isaac Newton was the Master of Mint, more like a counterpart of the United States Treasury Department. It also adds references in some parts that are also tied-in to the book, “Isaac and Amanda” also penned by the same authors which focus on their love life.

A play based on the exploits of Sir Isaac Newton as a scientist is rare. And if you’re looking for a unique twist, not just the usual narrative, “On The Shoulders of Giants” is a perfect pick-up and welcome addition to your collection or home library.”