| Compass: A Story of Exploration and Innovation (Revised) Revised Edition Contributor(s): Gurney, Alan (Author) |
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ISBN: 0393327132 ISBN-13: 9780393327137 Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company OUR PRICE: $23.70 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: August 2005 Annotation: Gurney chronicles the misadventures of those who attempted to perfect the compass, an instrument so precious to sixteenth-century seamen that, by law, any man found tampering with it had his hand pinned to the mast with a dagger. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - History | Maritime History & Piracy - Technology & Engineering | Inventions - Transportation | Navigation |
| Dewey: 912.028 |
| Physical Information: 0.38" H x 5.44" W x 8.06" (0.62 lbs) 322 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: This is the rich history of the most important navigational device of all time, the magnetic compass, born of the need for a reliable means of negotiating treacherous sea routes around the globe. Compass chronicles the misadventures of those who attempted to perfect the instrument--so precious to sixteenth-century seamen that, by law, any man found tampering with one had his hand pinned to the mast with a dagger. Part history, part adventure, this book is a compelling tribute to human ingenuity--and the mysteries of the sea. |
Contributor Bio(s): Gurney, Alan: - Alan Gurney was a former yacht designer and photographer. His books include Compass, The Race to the White Continent, and Below the Convergence: Voyages Toward Antarctica: 1699-1839. |