Description

Longitude – Dava Sobel

Dava Sobel’s Longitude tells the captivating story of one of history’s greatest scientific challenges: determining longitude at sea. For centuries, sailors faced perilous journeys due to the inability to pinpoint their position, leading to countless shipwrecks and lost lives. Sobel masterfully recounts the quest to solve this problem, focusing on the life and work of John Harrison, an 18th-century clockmaker who revolutionized navigation with his invention of the marine chronometer.

Through vivid storytelling, Sobel highlights the struggles, rivalries, and triumphs that defined this groundbreaking achievement. She weaves together tales of scientific ambition, human ingenuity, and the impact of precision timekeeping on exploration and trade. Longitude is not just a story of invention but also a testament to perseverance and the profound effect of technological progress on the course of history.

Whether you are a history enthusiast, a science lover, or simply curious about the world’s great discoveries, Longitude offers an engaging and accessible exploration of a pivotal moment in maritime history.

Paperback, 2011 Edition.
Published by Harper Perrenial an imprint of Harper Collins.
200 pages.