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Riddle of the Compass by Amir D. ACZEL (2002, Trade Paperback)

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The Riddle of the Compass: The Invention That Changed the World by Aczel, Amir D. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less

About this product

Product Identifiers

PublisherHarperCollins

ISBN-100156007533

ISBN-139780156007535

eBay Product ID (ePID)2237636

Product Key Features

Number of Pages208 Pages

LanguageEnglish

Publication NameRiddle of the Compass

Publication Year2002

SubjectNavigation, General

FeaturesReprint

TypeNot Available

Subject AreaTransportation, Reference

AuthorAmir D. Aczel

FormatTrade Paperback

Dimensions

Item Height0.6 in

Item Weight6.8 Oz

Item Length8 in

Item Width5.3 in

Additional Product Features

Dewey Edition21

ReviewsPRAISE FORTHE RIDDLE OF THE COMPASS "An uncommonly good book about an invention that--there's just no getting around it--changed the world."--Jonathan Yardley,The Washington Post "A compulsively readable investigation, as attracting as the magnetic north."--Kirkus Reviews, Adult/High School-Prior to the invention of the compass, a merchant or sailor who wished to cross a large body of water was forced to navigate by studying the winds and stars or by never sailing out of the sight of land. Long ocean voyages were impossible and even sailing the Mediterranean could be a lengthy and hazardous voyage. The compass changed all of this. Mariners could now strike out on an azimuth and have a reasonable chance of arriving at their destination. This led to the Age of Exploration and the expansion of the European kingdoms into economic empires. Yet as important as the compass is, its origins are shrouded in mystery. The small town of Amalfi, Italy, claims to be the birthplace of the inventor of the compass, but China has an even stronger case. Aczel examines the myths, legends, and facts behind the dispute and provides a logical, although not indisputable, conclusion on which nation can claim the compass as its own. He also provides a layman's overview of the development of navigation from the earliest days to the 15th century. Although the author is primarily known for his scientific books, Riddle of the Compass contains little or no jargon and a minimum of scientific terminology. A worthwhile and interesting addition.Robert Burnham, R. E. Lee High School, Springfield, VA, PRAISE FOR THE RIDDLE OF THE COMPASS "An uncommonly good book about an invention that--there's just no getting around it--changed the world."--Jonathan Yardley, The Washington Post "A compulsively readable investigation, as attracting as the magnetic north."-- Kirkus Reviews, Praise for Fermat's Last Theorem This is a captivating volume. Equally important is the sense of awe that Mr. Aczel imparts for the hidden, mystical harmonies of numbers, and for that sense of awe alone, his slender volume is well worth the effort."-The New York Times While avoiding technical details, Aczel maps the strange, beautiful byways of modern mathematical thought in ways the layperson can grasp."-Publishers Weekly For more than three centuries, Fermat's Last Theorem was the most famous unsolved problem in mathematics; here's the story of how it was solved."-Kirkus Reviews --, Despite its brevity, this book covers its topic completely. In this detailed history, Aczel (God's Equation; Bentley Coll.) takes us back in time to Amalfi, Italy, where between 1295 and 1302 the compass as we know it was developed. Aczel points out, however, that the actual discovery of materials that followed magnetic lines, or at least consistently pointed in a specific direction (south), is attributed to the Chinese in 1040. The story of the compass is also the story of navigation, which the author admirably combines. Debunking the myth that sailors followed the coastlines of countries until they met their desired location, the author describes how they navigated the open seas using the sun, stars, wind, and even the migration of birds. While this book is not a page-turner, it is an accurate account of the important historical events that lead to the compass's development. Tellingly, Aczel grew up on a ship and was navigating straits in the Mediterranean long before he could drive a car. Recommended for public as well as academic libraries whose readers want to go beyond the account generally given in an encyclopedia.- James Olson, Northeastern Illinois Univ., Chicago, Praise for Fermat's Last Theorem This is a captivating volume. Equally important is the sense of awe that Mr. Aczel imparts for the hidden, mystical harmonies of numbers, and for that sense of awe alone, his slender volume is well worth the effort."- The New York Times While avoiding technical details, Aczel maps the strange, beautiful byways of modern mathematical thought in ways the layperson can grasp."- Publishers Weekly For more than three centuries, Fermat's Last Theorem was the most famous unsolved problem in mathematics; here's the story of how it was solved."- Kirkus Reviews

TitleLeadingThe

IllustratedYes

Dewey Decimal912.028

Edition DescriptionReprint

Intended AudienceTrade

SynopsisBestselling science writer Amir Aczel uncovers the fascinating story of the invention of the compass and its impact on the world., The story of the compass is shrouded in mystery and myth, yet most will agree it begins around the time of the birth of Christ in ancient China. A mysterious lodestone whose powers affected metal was known to the Chinese emperor. When this piece of metal was suspended in water, it always pointed north. This unexplainable occurrence led to the stone's use in feng shui, the Chinese art of finding the right location. However, it was the Italians, more than a thousand years later, who discovered the ultimate destiny of the lodestone and unleashed its formidable powers. In Amalfi sometime in the twelfth century, the compass was born, crowning the Italians as the new rulers of the seas and heralding the onset of the modern world. Retracing the roots of the compass and sharing the fascinating story of navigation through the ages, The Riddle of the Compass is Aczel at his most entertaining and insightful.

LC Classification NumberVK577

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