Book
Longitude : the true story of a lone genius who solved the greatest scientific problem of his time / Dava Sobel.
The story of mariners' centuries-long search for ways of determining longitude that tells not only of the scientific advances but of the perseverance, pettiness, politics, & interesting anecdotes involved. Longitude is the dramatic human story of an epic scientific quest, and of John Harrison's forty-year obsession with building his perfect timekeeper, known today as the chronometer. Full of heroism and chicanery, brilliance and the absurd, it is also a fascinating brief history of astronomy, navigation, and clockmaking. Through Dava Sobel's consummate skill, Longitude will open a new window on our world for all who read it.
Record details
- ISBN: 0802713122
- ISBN: 9780802713124
- ISBN: 9780802715296
- ISBN: 080271529X
- ISBN: 0140258795
- ISBN: 9780140258790
- Physical Description: viii, 184 pages ; 20 cm
- Publisher: New York : Walker, 1995.
Content descriptions
| Bibliography, etc. Note: | Includes bibliographical references (pages 177-180) and index. |
| Formatted Contents Note: | Imaginary lines -- The sea before time -- Adrift in a clockwork universe -- Time in a bottle -- Powder of sympathy -- The prize -- Cogmarker's journal -- The grasshopper goes to sea -- Hands on heaven's clock -- The diamond timekeeper -- Trial by fire and water -- A tale of two portraits -- The second voyage of captain James Cook -- The mass production of genius -- In the meridian courtyard. |
| Awards Note: | Royal Society Science Book Prize Nominee for General Prize (1997) |
Search for related items by subject
| Subject: | Harrison, John, 1693-1776. Longitude > Measurement > History. Chronometers > History. Clock and watch makers > Great Britain > Biography. |
| Genre: | History. Biographies. Nonfiction |
Available copies
- 1 of 1 copy available at scottsboropl.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 1 total copy.
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| scottsboropl | 526 Sob | 32269001296469 | Adult - New | Available | - |
Summary:
The story of mariners' centuries-long search for ways of determining longitude that tells not only of the scientific advances but of the perseverance, pettiness, politics, & interesting anecdotes involved. Longitude is the dramatic human story of an epic scientific quest, and of John Harrison's forty-year obsession with building his perfect timekeeper, known today as the chronometer. Full of heroism and chicanery, brilliance and the absurd, it is also a fascinating brief history of astronomy, navigation, and clockmaking. Through Dava Sobel's consummate skill, Longitude will open a new window on our world for all who read it.
