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Apr. 14th, 2025 07:37 pmBook Review: Longitude, by Dava Sobel
Ironically, this was the first book added to my Goodreads account. I say ironically, because of late I have been doing what I can to avoid payments to Mr Bezos, so I have been acquiring second-hand books in other ways.
Anyhow, this is the book that made Sobel famous, and I think she gets the balance about right between science, politics, and personalities. I think it's fair to say not all that much is known about Harrison as a person; Sobel gives only fairly basic personal details, focusing more on his works, and the wider arena of the Longitude problem. With hindsight it seems obvious that he was badly treated due to the influence on the Board of Longitude of various astronomers of the time, who believed their own techniques would inevitably yield the better result. At the time, perhaps it wasn't so clear: the Board had to deal with all manner of cranks and inventions, though most of those were dismissed, whilst Harrison's devices were tested and then the goalposts were moved. The improved accuracy and stability of his timepieces seems astonishing, a real leap forward from an unexpected source.
Ironically, this was the first book added to my Goodreads account. I say ironically, because of late I have been doing what I can to avoid payments to Mr Bezos, so I have been acquiring second-hand books in other ways.
Anyhow, this is the book that made Sobel famous, and I think she gets the balance about right between science, politics, and personalities. I think it's fair to say not all that much is known about Harrison as a person; Sobel gives only fairly basic personal details, focusing more on his works, and the wider arena of the Longitude problem. With hindsight it seems obvious that he was badly treated due to the influence on the Board of Longitude of various astronomers of the time, who believed their own techniques would inevitably yield the better result. At the time, perhaps it wasn't so clear: the Board had to deal with all manner of cranks and inventions, though most of those were dismissed, whilst Harrison's devices were tested and then the goalposts were moved. The improved accuracy and stability of his timepieces seems astonishing, a real leap forward from an unexpected source.