Traces the story of the reclusive sixteenth-century cleric who introduced the revolutionary idea that the Earth orbits the sun, describing the dangerous forces and complicated personalities that marked the publication of Copernicus's findings.

Pt. 1. Prelude. Moral, rustic, and amorous epistles -- The brief sketch -- Leases of abandoned farmsteads -- On the method of minting money -- The letter against Werner -- The bread tariff -- pt. 2. Interplay. "And the sun stood still" : act I -- "And the sun stood still" : act II -- pt. 3. Aftermath. The first account -- On the revolutions of the heavenly spheres -- The Basel edition -- Epitome of copeernican astronomy -- Dialogue concerning the two chief systems of the world, Ptolemaic and Copernican -- An annotated census of Copernicus' De revolutionibus -- Thanksgiving.