About the Size of it

by Warwick Cairns

Readers will find Why an old Wellington boot is as important an instrument of spacial awareness as was ever invented? Why the size of a space shuttle's fuel tanks has more to do with the proportions of a horse's rump than rocket science? and, Why how tired your ox gets? How much water it takes to drown you, and how much you can hold in one hand while doing something else are all essential principles that explain how man has balanced and judged his world since the dawn of time. In part a case for the continued use of traditional British measures, this book also celebrates the richness and commonality of systems from around the world, and how they were formed by the one guiding principle of measurement no one ever that most of us have better things to think about.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

160 pages, Paperback

First published September 21, 2007

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought the book despite being a quite convinced metricist because I knew the author when we were kids and was intrigued at what sort of mileage could be squeezed out of imperial and other strange units. It turned out to be a fascinating read. I had thought units were completely arbitrary so why not settle on a base 10 system for convenience. Actually there are striking similarities between unit systems developed independently at different times and places. Why? Because they are based on human anatomy, convenience and practicality. The author points out how the eye-brain can divide into halves and thirds easily but not fifths. Thus the subdivisions of feet into inches etc. And those strange 8s, 16s etc are actually binary. Combine this with the genius of the base 10 number system and you have the rich diversity of traditional unit systems.
Personally I find it hard to move away from metres and centimetres as I have used them for so long but for home projects thanks to Warwick I am really enjoying the speed and ease of combining metric with hands and thumb widths etc.

[John Wade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keele contemporary from the 80s this book about the humanity of many weights and measures is informative, passionate and will make you laugh out loud.

[Brie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a child of the 70s in Australia, I was ostensibly raised on the Metric system. But the Imperial system was not quite gone during that time, so I actually learnt bits of both systems. This means being able to think in terms of driving in kilometres, but people's height must be in feet-and-inches to make sense. This was compounded by the refusal of the USA to switch to metric. And the USA is where a lot of computer tech originated.

I was long an advocate of "metric everything" and had wished on and off through the years that the imperial units would just "go away". Well, they just won't. A foot is an incredibly useful unit of measure, much more so than a metre is. And so is an inch. Ditto for pound, quart, acre and pretty much all of the non-metric units of measurement that are still hanging on. (And as a reader of fantasy writing, I've also observed how trying to use metric units in fantasy writing marrs the suspension of disbelief.)

This book, written by an expert in the history of measurement, explains not only why and how all those funny non-metric units came about, but why they are often better for our little human ways than the metric units.

[Li3 · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very concise,witty and interesting book.

i received a physical copy as a gift some time ago and only got around to reading it recently, i would have liked to have read it sooner truthfully. its exactly what it promises to be, a book about measurements, if you're looking to learn some interesting things about measurements and how to estimate them then by all means read this book, if however you are looking to read about something else, then by all means go read something else.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

This great little book reads like a transcript of an interesting lecture by an enthusiastic teacher on the origins of measurements. I have a new appreciation for measurements, how they came to be, and why there seems to be so many confusing and conflicting sizes out there.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

An enjoyable little read but either the book could have been one third of the size or more complete by discussing other forms of measurement, anything from chains and rods to temperature and fir, (horse power, newtons etc). At least I now know how long a league is, or isn't.

[Jude Brigley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book on maths.

[arjuna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genuinely interesting; gives one some useful/interesting teaching ideas.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really entertaining read about the way we measure things. Very short and to the point but packed full of interesting facts and amusing sidelines.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting in parts.