Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time
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Product Description
Anyone alive in the eighteenth century would have known that “the longitude problem” was the thorniest scientific dilemma of the dayand had been for centuries. Missing the ability to measure their longitude, sailors throughout the fantastic ages of exploration had been factually lost at sea as soon as they lost sight of land. Thousands of lives, and the increasing fortunes of nations, hung on a resolution.
The quest for a solution has occupied scientists for the better part of two centuries when, in 1714, England’s parliament upped the ante by offering a king’s ransom (£20,000, or approximately $12 million in today’s currency) to anyone whose method or contrivance proved successful and reproducible. The scientific establishment throughout Europefrom Galileo to Sir Isaac Newtonhad mapped the heavens in its pursuit of a celestial answer. In stark contrast, one man, John Harrison, dared to image a mechanical solutiona clock that would keep precise time at sea, something no clock had ever been able to do on land.
Longitude is tale of an epic scientific quest and of Harrison’s forty-year obsession with building his perfect timekeeper, known today as the chronometer. Full of heroism and chicanery, it is also a fascinating brief history of astronomy, navigation, and clockmaking. Through Dava Sobel’s consummate skill, Longitude opens many new windows on our world.
“As much a tale of intrigue as it is of science . . . A book full of gems for anyone interested in history, geography, astronomy, navigation, clock building, andnot the leastunadorned ancient human ambition and greed.”The Philadelphia Inquirer
“This is a gem of a book.”The New York Times
“A simple tale, brilliantly told.”The Washington Post Book World
“Intricate and elegant . . . No novelist could improve on the fundamentals of Dava Sobel’s achievement.”Newsweek
“An exquisitely done narrative of the chronometer. It is a wonderful and engrossing achievement.”William F. Buckley, Jr.
“Only a name with Dava Sobel’s unusual background in both astronomy and psychology could have written it. Longitude is a wonderful tale, wonderfully told.”Diane Ackerman, leader of A Natural History of the Senses
The thorniest scientific problem of the eighteenth century was how to determine longitude. Many thousands of lives had been lost at sea over the centuries due to the inability to determine an east-west position. This is the engrossing tale of the clockmaker, John “Longitude” Harrison, who solved the problem that Newton and Galileo had failed to conquer, yet claimed only half the promised rich reward.
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This book was so stupid. During the wholwe book it was so dull. People built clocks throught he whole book. This book is more like a reference book then a novel. Grade A garbage
Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5
This book by Dava Sobel is by the worst Summer Reading Book I have read since The Boxcar Series in 4th Grade. Although the two are really different, they are also really dull. The beginning of “Longitude” acted as a lullaby. Fortunately, I did learn about Harrison and Kendell and Makeslyne. The ending was the only excellent part because of the bitter battles with the Longitude Committee and personal enemies (not to mention it was the ENDING). I have only read one of Dava Sobel’s pieces. I intend to keep it that way.
Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5
Dava Sobel wrote a book that taught me about , the origins of the chronometer. I am still amazed how John Harrison’s clocks ongoing out as huge Multi Stone devises and evolved over his years of labor (40) into accurate hand held contrivance’s. Not really a challenge unless you consider the reality of the task, for instance a clock has to work accurately in all temperatures and damp, for his method to work. Different metals expand and contract at different temperatures…Read the book it is an simple read and will make you appreciate and know navigation better than you had expected.A side note this book was written by a woman, and if you reflect about it real hard, had women been agreed the equal respect back then that we are close to today this book would not have been written. Had this been the case a woman would have questioned directions and not needed a contrivance that governments spent fortunes on, men lost their lives for the lack of and…
Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5
Dava Sobel has done extremely well from this book, as well she might as an veteran journalist with a flair for populist writing. Her chatty style is harsh, her analysis is superficial and frankly I am unconvinced by her erudition and “study visit” to Greenwich. Pseudo-science for the masses.
Reader’s Rating: 2 / 5
This book was very intriguing as well as appealing in a sense of both a biography and a tale written on longitude. It grabs you by the shirt and pulls you in and keeps you going until the last page. A truly brilliant book.
Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5