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  1. valkyrie_rider Dec 2, 2018

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    Earlier this year I got from Amazon the book titled "Longitude: the true story of the genius that solved the greatest scientific problem of this time" by Dava Sobel.

    It tells the story of John Harrison's watches (he was recently featured in a Google doodle, check: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Harrison) and how they solved the practical and strategic problem of calculating the Longitude of ships back in the 18th century.

    [​IMG]

    The book is literally a page turner: I started reading it in a Friday 22:00 and finished around 2:00 (with a few breaks for tea and looking in wikipedia for further information on a few of the mentioned historical figures).

    After a terrible ship wreck that costed the lives of over 5000 soldiers, England's parliament offered a 20,000 pounds prize to whoever solved the problem of longitude calculation in 1714.

    Harrison was a carpenter who self-learned watchmaking and worked for 30 years to make a watch that could resist the challenges of travelling in high latitudes facing changes in temperature while keeping a precision of less than 3s gain/loss per day (the book explains how anything less precise would yield a big longitude positioning error).

    He presented to the Longitude Board (that had scientists like Isaac Newton in his ranks) a series of watches (H1, H2, H3) that were improvements in both precision and size/weight, building up to his master piece the H4:
    [​IMG]

    The H4 took 6 years to construct and made his maiden journey aboard the 50-gun HMS Deptford from London to Jamaica under the care of Harrison's younger son William in 1761. After the 81 days of journey, the watch allowed the longitude calculation with an approximate precision of one nautical mile.


    A clear winner, right? Well, the Greenwich astronomers that were part of the board didn't think so and would make more requirements and give Harrison years of trouble for him finally being able to receive (part) of the prize, only after interference by the King George.

    I won't provide further spoilers, but this is a story that is really fascinating and worthy learning more (both from a historical point of view as also for anyone that appreciate mechanical watches).
     
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  2. valkyrie_rider Dec 2, 2018

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  3. Professor Dec 2, 2018

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    Years ago I received a book for Christmas and only recently began reading it. The title is "Sea of Glory" by Nathaniel Philbrick, the author of "In the Heart of the Sea".

    It tells of a United States "Exploring Expedition" aka the "Ex Ex".
    Good reading. Sometimes dry and over wordy, but once you get into it its fascinating.
     
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  4. wsfarrell Dec 3, 2018

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    I read "Longitude" some years ago before I was really into watches. Fabulous book.
     
  5. eugeneandresson 'I used a hammer, a chisel, and my fingers' Dec 3, 2018

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    Always up for a good book! Many thanks...
     
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  6. Canuck Dec 3, 2018

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    Do you refer to the first one, the pocket sized one? (ISBN 0-8027-1312-2)? Or the second one, co-authored by Dava Sobel, and Will Andrewes? (ISBN 0-8027-1344-0).The second one is a much bigger book, and much more complete that the first one. I have both. They are both good, but I don’t think I would have been able to read the big one in one sitting.

    https://www.directtextbook.com/isbn/9780802713445
     
    Edited Dec 3, 2018
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  7. valkyrie_rider Dec 3, 2018

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    @Canuck: I read the one with 192 pages, ref 978-0007214228, in the link I posted to Amazon.
     
  8. Skier Dec 3, 2018

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    In addition to the books (both of which I've read), get yourself a copy of the DVD: Longitude with Michael Gambon (as John Harrison) and Jeremy Irons (as Rupert Gould).
     
  9. WhatYourWatchSay Dec 3, 2018

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    Excellent movie, (when A&E still meant Arts & Entertainment). There was also a NOVA episode that had facts and a dramatic narrative mixed together. Hard to find the DVD but worth the hunt.
     
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  10. smitty190373 Dec 3, 2018

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    I bought this book a few weeks ago but haven't started it yet.... I will now procede! Thanks.
     
  11. Canuck Dec 3, 2018

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    I believe you have read the first Longitude book, by Dava Sobel. There was such a ground swell of enthusiasm for that book, that the author was encouraged to, with the co-operation of Will Andrewes, publish a much larger and more in depth version of Longitude. It is the one I referenced in my previous post. If you liked the one, you’ll love the larger one.
     
  12. Waltesefalcon Dec 3, 2018

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    That old A&E mini series was pretty darned good, Michael Gambon did a good turn as Harrison.
     
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  13. Foo2rama Keeps his worms in a ball instead of a can. Dec 4, 2018

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    Added to my kindle list.
     
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  14. cchen Dec 4, 2018

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    If anyone in the UK wants the book I'll send you my copy via 2nd class mail. PM me
     
  15. jimmyd13 Dec 4, 2018

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    The first time I heard of John Harrison was on "Only Fools and Horses". Every reader in the UK will know what I'm talking about. This was a long running sitcom based around Del-Boy and his brother Rodney who were latter day spivs. Driving their delapidated Reliant Regal and trading in anything and everything they could make a profit on - they usually failed. One day, they cleared a long dead relative's storage "lock up" and found, among the junk, an old pocket watch. Eventually, an expert identified it as John Harrison's "Lesser" watch - the fabled H6 and the watch was sent to auction.



    The watch itself may, or may not, have ever been made but it was certainly planned. Harrison himself was simply a genius and had ideas that were way beyond their time. There are plenty of articles online that hint at what the man managed to achieve: https://www.theguardian.com/science...n-harrison-vindicated-250-years-absurd-claims
     
  16. Waltesefalcon Dec 4, 2018

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    Great link Jimmy, that is an amazing accomplishment with a 250 year old design.
     
  17. WhatYourWatchSay Dec 4, 2018

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    Loved this show! Lots of references to watches over the years. One episode Rodney is hurt that Del didn't give him one of the dive watches he was selling and so Del gives him one but it's not running. Rodney shakes it and is admonished by Del not to do that, "It's not shook-proof!"

    Especially since he started off as a joiner, or carpenter for those of us outside the UK. Harrison is one of my two favorite watchmakers--in that exact sense of the word--a maker of timepieces.
     
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  18. Skier Dec 4, 2018

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    This clock, made by Harrison in 1720, has been running for as near as makes no difference 300 years at Brocklesby Hall, Lincolnshire.
     
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  19. valkyrie_rider Dec 4, 2018

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    Wow! The Grasshopper escapement!
     
  20. MCC Dec 4, 2018

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    Thanks for the recommendation something to add to the list