The Illustrated Longitude: The True Story of the Lone Genius

The Illustrated Longitude: The True Story of the Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time
- Used Book in Good Condition
Dava Sobel's Longitude tells the story of how 18th-century scientist and clockmaker William Harrison solved one of the most perplexing problems of history--determining east-west location at sea. This lush, colorfully illustrated edition adds lots of pictures to the story, giving readers a more satisfying sense of the times, the players, and the puzzle. This was no obscure, curious difficulty--without longitude, ships often found themselves so far off course that sailors would starve or die of scurvy before they could reach port. When a nationally-sponsored contest offered a hefty cash prize to the person who could develop a method to accurately determine longitude, the race was on. In the end, the battle of accuracy--and wills--fought between Harrison and arch-rival Maskelyne was ruthless and dramatic, worthy of a Hollywood feature film. Longitude's story is surprising and fascinating, offering a window into the past, before Global Positioning Satellites made it look easy. --Therese Littleton
Country USA
Brand WALKER BOOKS
Manufacturer Walker Books
Binding Hardcover
ReleaseDate 1998-10-01
UnitCount 1
Format Illustrated
EANs 9780802713445

The Illustrated Longitude: The True Story of the Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time