false 357169 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174061272m/357169.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174061272s/357169.jpg Amazon.com]]> 4806 37 1755348 book 1994 Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of his Time total:2196|5:493|4:942|3:631|2:105|1:25| 2196 8361 3122 372 3277 3.66 5120 847 4807226 6896 116600 0140258795 9780140258790 34 http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/116600.Longitude_The_True_Story_of_a_Lone_Genius_Who_Solved_the_Greatest_Scientific_Problem_of_His_Time 3.79 196 1994 0 2 false Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Mon Aug 20 08:37:36 -0700 2007 Mon Aug 20 09:04:37 -0700 2007 Longitude, by Dava Sobel, just after I finished high school, and I devoured it in a sitting or two. It was the first non-fiction book, I think, that I really couldn't put down.

The (true) story is great: legendary historical figures like Isaac Newton, Galileo, James Cook, ...more...]]> 36465426 1291846 4806 0802714625 9780802714626 285 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580m/4806.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580s/4806.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4806.Longitude_The_True_Story_of_a_Lone_Genius_Who_Solved_the_Greatest_Scientific_Problem_of_his_Time 3.82 1744
The scientific establishment of Europe--from Galileo to Sir Issac 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--a clock that would keep percise time at sea, something no clock had ever been able to do on land. Longitude is a dramatic human story of an epic scientific quest and 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.

]]> 1994 4 1 false Tue Oct 07 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Wed Oct 29 05:44:24 -0700 2008 Wed Oct 29 05:45:52 -0700 2008 more...]]> 1630343 76097 357169 0007214227 9780007214228 18 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174061272m/357169.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174061272s/357169.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/357169.Longitude 3.69 80 Amazon.com]]> 1994 4 1 false Sat Apr 01 00:00:00 -0800 2006 Sun Jun 03 12:28:38 -0700 2007 Sun Jun 03 13:10:22 -0700 2007 more...]]> 42046691 51291 4806 0802714625 9780802714626 285 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580m/4806.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580s/4806.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4806.Longitude_The_True_Story_of_a_Lone_Genius_Who_Solved_the_Greatest_Scientific_Problem_of_his_Time 3.81 2196
The scientific establishment of Europe--from Galileo to Sir Issac 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--a clock that would keep percise time at sea, something no clock had ever been able to do on land. Longitude is a dramatic human story of an epic scientific quest and 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.

]]> 1994 2 1 true Mon Jan 05 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Mon Jan 05 19:59:09 -0800 2009 Mon Jan 05 20:08:46 -0800 2009 more...]]> 39346082 203464 4806 0802714625 9780802714626 285 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580m/4806.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580s/4806.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4806.Longitude_The_True_Story_of_a_Lone_Genius_Who_Solved_the_Greatest_Scientific_Problem_of_his_Time 3.81 2196
The scientific establishment of Europe--from Galileo to Sir Issac 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--a clock that would keep percise time at sea, something no clock had ever been able to do on land. Longitude is a dramatic human story of an epic scientific quest and 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.

]]> 1994 4 1 false Thu Dec 04 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Thu Dec 04 21:51:59 -0800 2008 Thu Dec 04 21:52:43 -0800 2008 more...]]> 2520715 158733 4806 0802714625 9780802714626 285 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580m/4806.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580s/4806.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4806.Longitude_The_True_Story_of_a_Lone_Genius_Who_Solved_the_Greatest_Scientific_Problem_of_his_Time 3.81 2196
The scientific establishment of Europe--from Galileo to Sir Issac 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--a clock that would keep percise time at sea, something no clock had ever been able to do on land. Longitude is a dramatic human story of an epic scientific quest and 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.

]]> 1994 4 1 false Fri Jun 29 03:52:48 -0700 2007 Wed Dec 16 23:05:27 -0800 2009 more...]]> 81505107 1015123 4806 0802714625 9780802714626 285 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580m/4806.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580s/4806.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4806.Longitude_The_True_Story_of_a_Lone_Genius_Who_Solved_the_Greatest_Scientific_Problem_of_his_Time 3.81 2196
The scientific establishment of Europe--from Galileo to Sir Issac 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--a clock that would keep percise time at sea, something no clock had ever been able to do on land. Longitude is a dramatic human story of an epic scientific quest and 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.

]]> 1994 3 0 false Sat Dec 19 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sat Dec 19 14:37:59 -0800 2009 Sat Dec 19 14:48:48 -0800 2009
From the renaissance onwards the preeminent engineering and scientific challenge in Europe was to try to create a technique whereby somebody at sea could determine longitude. The quest reached its apo...more...]]> 80769637 941467 4806 0802714625 9780802714626 285 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580m/4806.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580s/4806.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4806.Longitude_The_True_Story_of_a_Lone_Genius_Who_Solved_the_Greatest_Scientific_Problem_of_his_Time 3.81 2196
The scientific establishment of Europe--from Galileo to Sir Issac 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--a clock that would keep percise time at sea, something no clock had ever been able to do on land. Longitude is a dramatic human story of an epic scientific quest and 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.

]]> 1994 2 0 false Sat Dec 12 11:39:08 -0800 2009 Sat Dec 12 11:39:17 -0800 2009 more...]]> 79533715 1709540 4806 0802714625 9780802714626 285 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580m/4806.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580s/4806.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4806.Longitude_The_True_Story_of_a_Lone_Genius_Who_Solved_the_Greatest_Scientific_Problem_of_his_Time 3.81 2196
The scientific establishment of Europe--from Galileo to Sir Issac 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--a clock that would keep percise time at sea, something no clock had ever been able to do on land. Longitude is a dramatic human story of an epic scientific quest and 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.

]]> 1994 4 0 false Mon Nov 30 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Tue Dec 01 10:31:36 -0800 2009 Tue Dec 01 10:36:03 -0800 2009 more...]]> 73348736 216786 4805 0802775934 9780802775931 2 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462569m/4805.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462569s/4805.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4805.The_Illustrated_Longitude 4.00 22 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]]> 1994 3 0 false Mon Dec 26 00:00:00 -0800 2005 Sat Oct 03 17:37:30 -0700 2009 Sat Oct 03 17:39:30 -0700 2009 Old review from 2005.

Since my fondest wish is to sail the high seas of the 19th century, I need to learn how to find myself without GPS. I also love this cover: a violent sea dashing ships to splinters, and, from on high, a man, in a wig, with a clock, come to deliver the poor dogs from ...more...]]> 57901524 1120843 4809 0739323784 9780739323786 5 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462600m/4809.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462600s/4809.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4809.Longitude 3.36 14
During the great ages of exploration, "the longitude problem" was the gravest of all scientific challenges. Lacking the ability to determine their longitude, sailors were literally lost at sea as soon as they lost sight of land. Ships ran aground on rocky shores; those traveling well-known routes were easy prey to pirates.

In 1714, England's Parliament offered a huge reward to anyone whose method of measuring longitude could be proven successful. The scientific establishment--from Galileo to Sir Isaac Newton--had mapped the heavens in its certainty of a celestial answer. In stark contrast, one man, John Harrison, dared to imagine a mechanical solution--a clock that would keep precise time at sea, something no clock had been able to do on land. And the race was on....]]> 1994 3 0 false Sat May 30 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sat May 30 19:03:47 -0700 2009 Sat May 30 19:47:18 -0700 2009 more...]]> 31233353 1454475 4806 0802714625 9780802714626 285 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580m/4806.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580s/4806.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4806.Longitude_The_True_Story_of_a_Lone_Genius_Who_Solved_the_Greatest_Scientific_Problem_of_his_Time 3.81 2196
The scientific establishment of Europe--from Galileo to Sir Issac 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--a clock that would keep percise time at sea, something no clock had ever been able to do on land. Longitude is a dramatic human story of an epic scientific quest and 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.

]]> 1994 4 1 false Thu Nov 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Tue Aug 26 10:38:32 -0700 2008 Tue Aug 26 10:43:06 -0700 2008 more...]]> 79750488 2887081 4806 0802714625 9780802714626 285 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580m/4806.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580s/4806.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4806.Longitude_The_True_Story_of_a_Lone_Genius_Who_Solved_the_Greatest_Scientific_Problem_of_his_Time 3.81 2196
The scientific establishment of Europe--from Galileo to Sir Issac 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--a clock that would keep percise time at sea, something no clock had ever been able to do on land. Longitude is a dramatic human story of an epic scientific quest and 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.

]]> 1994 3 0 false Tue Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Thu Dec 03 07:07:19 -0800 2009 Mon Dec 07 10:52:15 -0800 2009 more...]]> 9029902 171870 4806 0802714625 9780802714626 285 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580m/4806.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580s/4806.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4806.Longitude_The_True_Story_of_a_Lone_Genius_Who_Solved_the_Greatest_Scientific_Problem_of_his_Time 3.81 2196
The scientific establishment of Europe--from Galileo to Sir Issac 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--a clock that would keep percise time at sea, something no clock had ever been able to do on land. Longitude is a dramatic human story of an epic scientific quest and 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.

]]> 1994 4 1 false Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Mon Nov 12 18:31:47 -0800 2007 Tue Dec 04 15:11:09 -0800 2007 more...]]> 75725707 2489331 116600 0140258795 9780140258790 34 http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/116600.Longitude_The_True_Story_of_a_Lone_Genius_Who_Solved_the_Greatest_Scientific_Problem_of_His_Time 3.81 2196 1994 5 0 false Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 -0700 1997 Sun Oct 25 19:20:02 -0700 2009 Sun Oct 25 19:37:26 -0700 2009 more...]]> 77103352 412055 4806 0802714625 9780802714626 285 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580m/4806.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580s/4806.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4806.Longitude_The_True_Story_of_a_Lone_Genius_Who_Solved_the_Greatest_Scientific_Problem_of_his_Time 3.81 2196
The scientific establishment of Europe--from Galileo to Sir Issac 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--a clock that would keep percise time at sea, something no clock had ever been able to do on land. Longitude is a dramatic human story of an epic scientific quest and 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.

]]> 1994 4 0 false Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun Nov 08 10:08:28 -0800 2009 Sun Nov 08 10:16:50 -0800 2009 more...]]> 78499223 1359087 4806 0802714625 9780802714626 285 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580m/4806.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580s/4806.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4806.Longitude_The_True_Story_of_a_Lone_Genius_Who_Solved_the_Greatest_Scientific_Problem_of_his_Time 3.81 2196
The scientific establishment of Europe--from Galileo to Sir Issac 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--a clock that would keep percise time at sea, something no clock had ever been able to do on land. Longitude is a dramatic human story of an epic scientific quest and 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.

]]> 1994 4 0 false Wed Oct 21 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Fri Nov 20 20:23:50 -0800 2009 Sat Nov 21 09:56:24 -0800 2009 more...]]> 57792922 2366476 4806 0802714625 9780802714626 285 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580m/4806.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580s/4806.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4806.Longitude_The_True_Story_of_a_Lone_Genius_Who_Solved_the_Greatest_Scientific_Problem_of_his_Time 3.81 2196
The scientific establishment of Europe--from Galileo to Sir Issac 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--a clock that would keep percise time at sea, something no clock had ever been able to do on land. Longitude is a dramatic human story of an epic scientific quest and 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.

]]> 1994 4 0 true Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Fri May 29 17:05:55 -0700 2009 Sun May 31 08:39:46 -0700 2009 Longitude is a beautifully written account of the longitude race that occured in the 17th and 18th centuries. Sobel is a brilliant, gifted writer who makes the history of science fun and interesting. This is a must read.

NOTE: I found out from one of the curators at the Royal Observato...more...]]> 13983509 673038 4806 0802714625 9780802714626 285 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580m/4806.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580s/4806.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4806.Longitude_The_True_Story_of_a_Lone_Genius_Who_Solved_the_Greatest_Scientific_Problem_of_his_Time 3.81 2196
The scientific establishment of Europe--from Galileo to Sir Issac 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--a clock that would keep percise time at sea, something no clock had ever been able to do on land. Longitude is a dramatic human story of an epic scientific quest and 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.

]]> 1994 5 1 false Tue Jan 29 16:38:32 -0800 2008 Tue Jan 29 16:40:13 -0800 2008 24132813 594992 4806 0802714625 9780802714626 285 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580m/4806.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165462580s/4806.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4806.Longitude_The_True_Story_of_a_Lone_Genius_Who_Solved_the_Greatest_Scientific_Problem_of_his_Time 3.81 2196
The scientific establishment of Europe--from Galileo to Sir Issac 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--a clock that would keep percise time at sea, something no clock had ever been able to do on land. Longitude is a dramatic human story of an epic scientific quest and 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.

]]> 1994 3 1 false Mon Jul 14 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Tue Jun 10 05:54:08 -0700 2008 Mon Jul 14 15:04:14 -0700 2008 8 http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=357169