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Product Description
Following one of the most inspiring and fascinating stories linked to the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, this book centres on the life and achievements of John Harrison designer and builder of the first accurate marine timekeepers. Harrison is a fascinating account of one man driven by the need to solve one of the greatest practical problems of his time. This new edition has more than 40 illustrations, including drawings of the clocks mechanisms. Fresh insights on Harrison and his achievements are joined by a new section on Rupert Gould, the man who restored Harrison s timepieces in the inter-war years.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
Anyone who has read Dava Sobel's "Longitude" (or seen the t.v. adaptation) will find this little book fascinating. It gives a "potted" bio. of Harrison and describes, in not too much detail, the trials of the various "marine timekeepers"" made by him. The technical detail is excellent but not excessive and I was particularly intrigued by Harrison's own "worky" drawings. The photos are clear and distinct and the "techy" drawings first-rate - I now understand how H's "frictionless" oil-free bearings work!
However Mr. Betts does not confine himself to Harrison but gives some info. on the other experimenters of the period. A good buy.
However Mr. Betts does not confine himself to Harrison but gives some info. on the other experimenters of the period. A good buy.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
"We know, from his writings, that Harrison had difficulty expressing himself clearly ... Many of the concepts and devices (incorporated in his marine timekeepers) he was trying to describe had no name and he was constantly having to invent a new technological language. This, taken in combination with his humble origins, his lack of formal education, and his probable lack of social graces must have stood Harrison in poor stead before such an elite as the Board of Longitude, especially as very large sums of money were at stake." - from HARRISON
About a month ago, I viewed the excellent TV production of Longitude [DVD] [2000] [US Import] that was based on the best-selling book (Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time) by Dava Sobel. I became so interested in the subject of the invention of marine timekeepers to determine longitude by England's John Harrison in the eighteenth century that, during a recent trip to London, I made a special side trip to the Royal Observatory in Greenwich to see the first four of Harrison's clocks, which are there on display.
At ninety-six pages, HARRISON by Jonathan Betts is a most excellent souvenir of the Harrison exhibit which I purchased in the observatory gift shop. It's a first rate and concise, albeit brief, summary of Harrison's life (1693-1776), his clocks, his decades-long pursuit of the Longitude Prize first offered by Parliament in 1714, his prickly relationship with the government's Board of Longitude, and the 20th century restoration of his devices by Rupert Gould - all familiar to viewers of the television production. The operative words here are "concise", "brief" and "summary". Those desiring more should, I infer, read Sobel's book.
HARRISON is a slick production with a plethora of color photographs and diagrams, including snaps of the inventor's first four marine clocks (named by Gould H1, H2, H3, and H4). The clock photos are particularly useful as visitors to the Harrison exhibit are banned from taking pictures, something I found out to my disbelief and annoyance when confronted by an officious, blazered sentry after I'd innocently shot images of H1 and H2. Upon being asked for the reasons why, his explanation was that a camera's flash will damage the clocks (though I wasn't using that feature), copyrights could be compromised, and, most vague of all, because of "security" concerns. Well, I guess you get what you pay for; admission to the observatory is free. (For the same reasons, I presume, I couldn't photograph Admiral Lord Nelson's Trafalgar uniform - with the fatal bullet hole - down the hill at the National Maritime Museum.) Cheeky, insufferable Yank tourists - oversexed, overfed, over-moneyed, and obnoxious in Greenwich.
About a month ago, I viewed the excellent TV production of Longitude [DVD] [2000] [US Import] that was based on the best-selling book (Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time) by Dava Sobel. I became so interested in the subject of the invention of marine timekeepers to determine longitude by England's John Harrison in the eighteenth century that, during a recent trip to London, I made a special side trip to the Royal Observatory in Greenwich to see the first four of Harrison's clocks, which are there on display.
At ninety-six pages, HARRISON by Jonathan Betts is a most excellent souvenir of the Harrison exhibit which I purchased in the observatory gift shop. It's a first rate and concise, albeit brief, summary of Harrison's life (1693-1776), his clocks, his decades-long pursuit of the Longitude Prize first offered by Parliament in 1714, his prickly relationship with the government's Board of Longitude, and the 20th century restoration of his devices by Rupert Gould - all familiar to viewers of the television production. The operative words here are "concise", "brief" and "summary". Those desiring more should, I infer, read Sobel's book.
HARRISON is a slick production with a plethora of color photographs and diagrams, including snaps of the inventor's first four marine clocks (named by Gould H1, H2, H3, and H4). The clock photos are particularly useful as visitors to the Harrison exhibit are banned from taking pictures, something I found out to my disbelief and annoyance when confronted by an officious, blazered sentry after I'd innocently shot images of H1 and H2. Upon being asked for the reasons why, his explanation was that a camera's flash will damage the clocks (though I wasn't using that feature), copyrights could be compromised, and, most vague of all, because of "security" concerns. Well, I guess you get what you pay for; admission to the observatory is free. (For the same reasons, I presume, I couldn't photograph Admiral Lord Nelson's Trafalgar uniform - with the fatal bullet hole - down the hill at the National Maritime Museum.) Cheeky, insufferable Yank tourists - oversexed, overfed, over-moneyed, and obnoxious in Greenwich.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
If you have been fascinated by the film or book about Longititude, then this is well worth having. Harrison was a genius and it shows.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Informative, and excellent work
This is written by the gentleman who looks after the Harrison timekeepers at the National Maritime Museum, London. Read more
Published 5 months ago by I. Fraser
An untutored genius
John Harrison was an apparently ordinary joiner in the Humberside area of Yorkshire. He heard about the reward offered by the Board of Longitude for a viable means of determining... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Alan Fairhurst
Excellent
This an excellent book with good illustrations on the subject of the Harrison Clocks which were developed to enable longitude to be measured accuratley at sea. Read more
Published 16 months ago by froggi
A good introduction to John Harrison
A small well illustrated book that gives a good insight into the work of this remarkable man and leaves the reader wanting to learn more about him, and also Rupert Gould who... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Blackers
Quite Brilliant
If R T Gould's The Marine Chronometer was the definitive reference work on the Marine Chronometer. Then this has to be the definitive illustrated work on the Marine... Read more
Published on 28 Mar 2010 by Kalwinder
Great
This book was just what we were looking for.It was apresent for some one who is hard to buy for and we couldnt get it in our local shops.
Published on 25 Feb 2009 by B. Hird
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