Skip to product information
1 of 1

Longitude - Dava Sobel

Longitude - Dava Sobel

Regular price £6.00 GBP
Regular price Sale price £6.00 GBP
Sale Sold out
Tax included. Shipping calculated at checkout.

The tenth anniversary edition of the dramatic human story of an epic scientific quest: the search for the solution of how to calculate longitude and the unlikely triumph of an English genius. With a new Foreword by the celebrated astronaut Neil Armstrong.

‘Sobel has done the impossible and made horology sexy – no mean feat’ New Scientist

Anyone alive in the 18th century would have known that ‘the longitude problem’ was the thorniest scientific dilemma of the day – and had been for centuries. Lacking the ability to measure their longitude, sailors throughout the great ages of exploration had been literally lost at sea as soon as they lost sight of land. Thousands of lives, and the increasing fortunes of nations, hung on a resolution.

The quest for a solution had occupied scientists and their patrons for the better part of two centuries when, in 1714, Parliament upped the ante by offering a king’s ransom (£20,000) to anyone whose method or device proved successful. Countless quacks weighed in with preposterous suggestions. The scientific establishment throughout Europe – from Galileo to Sir Isaac 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.

Full of heroism and chicanery, brilliance and the absurd, LONGITUDE is also a fascinating brief history of astronomy, navigation and clockmaking.

Shipping & Returns

Book Bubble ships to the UK only

Orders Over £25 FREE UK Shipping

Orders Under £25 UK Standard shipping: £3.95

UK orders will be sent via Royal Mail Second Class delivery unless otherwise stated.

A full, valid address and postcode is required for every order.  If you provide an incorrect address we cannot accept responsibility for a lost order.

Your package will be dispatched within 2 working days of your order date (or from receipt of your choice of titles for 'Pick Your Own' book club customers.)

You will be notified by email when your order has been shipped.

Full Postage & Packaging Policy

Binding: Hardback

Number of Pages: 184

Year Published: 1996

Publisher: Fourth Estate

ISBN: 9781857025026

Please note this book is pre-loved/used. We do our best to select used books that are in fantastic condition, however there may be some defects on the cover or pages.

View full details

Great Deals on Book Bubble Books

Free Postage and Packaging on orders of 3 books or more.

Save 10% when you subscribe to our Book Club for a regular book delivery. All subscriptions come with a money-back guarantee.

Read more on our Terms and Conditions page