Longitude

Brief Summary

Dava Sobel's Longitude tells the captivating story of the race to solve the "longitude problem," that plagued sailors for centuries. Ships were often lost because they could not accurately determine their east-west position at sea. This led to countless deaths and hindered global trade. John Harrison, a self-taught clockmaker, dedicated his life to creating a timepiece that could keep accurate time at sea. He invented a chronometer, which revolutionized navigation.