Longitude
Dava Sobel
Seán was quite disappointed by this book. It is the story
of clockmaker John Harrison, who builds a series of clocks, the
first chronometers, which are sufficiently good to allow
seafarers to calculate their longitude for the first time. He
ought, as a result, to be awarded the Longitude Prize,
established to stimulate the development of a reliable way of
finding longitude, but is repeatedly denied his just desserts by
scheming astronomers who believe the prize should go to one of
their own. Small sums of money are awarded on onerous conditions,
but the goal posts are moved and Harrison very badly treated time
and again.
Unfortunately the book didn't really portray Harrison as a
character, and Seán wanted to know what made him tick (no
pun intended). Similarly, Seán wanted more information
about the clocks.
A very popular, popular science book. Too popular and not
enough science?
Seán 21/4/02
The frames have
gone all funny - click to make it good.