Longitude by Dava Sobel

Harrison's final triumph - the compact chronometer

I am getting back to my stack
of books that is now filled with
other ones! This book was a reread
for me and the first in my literature
class for Am. Literature. Why this
book? They do a project on maps
and this prepared them.

Dava Sobel always writes a good
biography. This one is on John
Harrison ( my husband says to
remember his name think of
two Beatles: John...and George)
was a clockmaker. He invented the
chromometer . The Longitude Act
of 1714 had a prize which Harrison
did win after he worked all his life
on a clock that would measure longitude.
It took him 4 decades and 4 clocks,
finally getting it down to the above
size.
His ability to work hard at a calling
was amazing.
He changed the world and navigation.
This was one of the largest scientific
endevours in history. Did you know that?