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The Map That Changed the World
2023: Other Books
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The Map That Changed the World by Simon Winchester - 4 stars
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I love Simon Winchester but haven’t read this yet. So glad it looks good. (I own ‘Exactly’, so that is the next one to read for me).
Always trust your judgement on this genre, Joy!@Kate, which book is next for you? I do not see that on my GR's list of his books
The one it might be is:The Perfectionists: How Precision Engineers Created the Modern World, which I have on my TBR.
Same book, yes. Not the first time GR has something listed under a different title from mine. Joy’s link must be the US publication I guess. But ‘Exactly’ is a much better title!
I think publishers sometimes use different titles in different parts of the world, depending on culture, languages, and terminology.
Books mentioned in this topic
The Perfectionists: How Precision Engineers Created the Modern World (other topics)The Map That Changed the World: William Smith and the Birth of Modern Geology (other topics)


Biography of William Smith and story of how he compiled the first geological map of England, Wales, and part of Scotland in the early 1800s. Smith was beset by a number of problems in his life. His wife suffered from mental health issues, others took credit for his work, and he ended up in debtor’s prison. The author portrays how Smith’s map served as the beginning of the science of geology. It is a fascinating account of a lesser-known person and event that brings together science and history. I always enjoy Simon Winchester’s writing.