Review: Longitude

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Anyone alive in the eighteenth century would have known that "the longitude problem" was the thorniest scientific dilemma of the day-and had been for centuries. Lacking the ability to measure their longitude, sailors throughout the great ages of exploration had been literally lost at sea as soon as they lost sight of land. Thousands of lives and the increasing fortunes of nations hung on a resolution. One man, John Harrison, in complete opposition to the scientific community, dared to imagine a mechanical solution-a clock that would keep precise time at sea, something no clock had ever been able to do on land.
Longitude is the dramatic human story of an epic scientific quest and of Harrison's forty-year obsession with building his perfect timekeeper, known today as the chronometer. Full of heroism and chicanery, it is also a fascinating brief history of astronomy, navigation, and clockmaking, and opens a new window on our world.

Genre: non.fiction

Publication date: November 2007

Mature content: no

Review: Longitude is one of the best non-fiction books I've read lately, and I came across it purely by chance. It's amazingly well written, in a text that flows naturally. Being too boring or too complicated are common shortcomings of science books, but Longitude has none of those. It's very easy to read and even the most complicated details about the movements of celestial bodies or the ins and outs of an amazing clock are very easy to follow and understand.

And most of all, you can't help but admire all those geniuses from the past who managed to make astounding discoveries with limited resources available, those whose minds were way ahead of their time, and all the sailors that roamed the world with little more than faith to guide them.

If you love science, and in particular the history of science, this is a must-read. And it you're into boats and sailing, I recommend it too.   

Happy readings,