This slim volume was recommended to me by Dad, and I really enjoyed it -- a quick read! So it turns out that it has long been easy to reckon one's latitude on the planet, but as recently as the late 1700's, there was no good way to reckon longitude. Who knew? It was a huge scientific/mathematical/astronomical/horological conundrum which had far-reaching military and mercantile implications. It was so important an issue for the British empire that King George III created a commission to solve the problem, and they created a competition with a huge monetary prize -- something like a million dollars today. This book tells the story of the actors in the administration of, and competition for, this prize, and it's loaded with intrigue, jealousy, and treachery, and it is centered on one lone eccentric who became the father of modern, accurate time-keeping through his solitary genius and creativity. It's quite a bit more interesting and intriguing than you'd imagine. Fun!
1 comment:
David, thanks for your great endorsement of a book that I liked and had told you about. Also, if your comments about the book didn't come from the book jacket, I think it's time for you to become a book reviewer or at least a book-jacket-blurb writer.
Dad
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