The Illustrated Longitude

by Dava Sobel (Author)

• Used

  Paperback
  1999

  $3.25

  Longitude, Dava Sobel's no.1 bestseller, is the elegant biography of the lone genius who solved the greatest scientific problem of his times. With new material from Dava Sobel and William Andrewes, and illustrated with over 200 integrated photographs, The Illustrated Longitude is the essential book for everyone who fell in love with John Harrison's story and wants to know more. Anyone alive in the 18th 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. The scientific establishment throughout Europe -- from Galileo to Sir Isaac Newton -- had mapped the heavens in its certain pursuit of a celestial answer. In stark contrast, one man, John Harrison, dared to imagine a mechanical solution. The Illustrated Longitude is a fascinating history of astronomy, navigation and clockmaking. Lavishly produced with over 200 illustrations, The Illustrated Longitude has much new material to help the reader learn more of John Harrison's extraordinary story and his times. There are biographical articles on all the major characters added; boxed information on the important scientific, nautical, historical and artistic background to the extraordinary story, time lines, and diagrams to explain the geography, horology and astrology of the Longitude problem.

• Used

  Paperback
  1999

  $3.25

  To tie-in with the two-part film of Longitude starring Jeremy Irons and Michael Gambon, Dava Sobel's international best-seller Anyone alive in the 18th 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. The quest for a solution had occupied scientists and their patrons for the better part of two centuries when, in 1714, Parliament upped the ante by offering a king's ransom (GBP20,000) to anyone whose method or device proved successful. Countless quacks weighed in with preposterous suggestions. The scientific establishment throughout Europe -- from Galileo to Sir Isaac Newton -- had mapped the heavens in both hemispheres in its certain pursuit of a celestial answer. In stark contrast, one man, John Harrison, dared to imagine a mechanical solution. Full of heroism and chicanery, brilliance and the absurd, LONGITUDE is also a fascinating brief history of astronomy, navigation and clockmaking.

• Used

  Hardcover
  2005

  $3.25

  Republished to celebrate the 10th anniversary of this bestselling book, now with a new introduction by Neil Armstrong, 'Longitude' is the dramatic human story of an epic scientific quest: the search for the solution to how to calculate longitude and the unlikely triumph of an English genius. Anyone alive in the 18th-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. The quest for a solution had occupied scientists and their patrons for the better part of two centuries when, in 1714, Parliament upped the ante by offering a king's ransom (GBP20,000) to anyone whose method or device proved successful. Countless quacks weighed in with preposterous suggestions. The scientific establishment throughout Europe -- from Galileo to Sir Isaac Newton -- had mapped the heavens in both hemispheres in its certain pursuit of a celestial answer. In stark contrast, one man, John Harrison, dared to imagine a mechanical solution. Full of heroism and chicanery, brilliance and the absurd, 'Longitude' is also a fascinating brief history of astronomy, navigation and clockmaking.

• New

  Paperback
  2005

  $11.35

  The tenth anniversary edition of the dramatic human story of an epic scientific quest: the search for the solution of how to calculate longitude and the unlikely triumph of an English genius. With a new Foreword by the celebrated astronaut Neil Armstrong. 'Sobel has done the impossible and made horology sexy - no mean feat' New Scientist Anyone alive in the 18th 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. The quest for a solution had occupied scientists and their patrons for the better part of two centuries when, in 1714, Parliament upped the ante by offering a king's ransom (GBP20,000) to anyone whose method or device proved successful. Countless quacks weighed in with preposterous suggestions. The scientific establishment throughout Europe - from Galileo to Sir Isaac Newton - had mapped the heavens in both hemispheres in its certain pursuit of a celestial answer. In stark contrast, one man, John Harrison, dared to imagine a mechanical solution. Full of heroism and chicanery, brilliance and the absurd, LONGITUDE is also a fascinating brief history of astronomy, navigation and clockmaking.