Hailed by the Journal of the History of Astronomy as "charming and witty," this chronicle by a renowned physicist traces the development of scientific thought from the works of the "founding fathers" — Galileo, Huygens, and Newton — to the more recent discoveries of Maxwell, Boltzmann, and Gibbs. 1984 edition. Reprint of the W. H. Freeman and Company, New York, 1984 edition.
Here's a sample of other books in this Dover category
The Metaphysical Foundations of Modern Science by E. A. Burtt Classic in the philosophy of science offers a fascinating analysis of the works of Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, Descartes, Hobbes, Gilbert, Boyle, and Newton, tracing their influence on contemporary scientific thought.
The Great Physicists from Galileo to Einstein by George Gamow The distinguished scientist and author traces the development of physics from the age of the ancient Greeks to modern particle physics, offering fascinating biographical and historical data. 136 illustrations.