The map that changed the world William Smith and the birth of modern geology
The fascinating story of William Smith, the orphaned son of an English country blacksmith, who became obsessed with creating the world's first geological map and ultimately became the father of modern geology. The Map That Changed the World is, at its foundation, a very human tale of endurance...
| Main Author: | Winchester, Simon (Author) |
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| Other Authors: | Vannithone, Soun (Illustrator) |
| Format: | Books Print Book |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
New York, NY :
HarperCollins,
Ã2001.
|
| Edition: | 1st ed. |
| Subjects: |
| Summary: |
The fascinating story of William Smith, the orphaned son of an English country blacksmith, who became obsessed with creating the world's first geological map and ultimately became the father of modern geology. The Map That Changed the World is, at its foundation, a very human tale of endurance and achievement, of one man's dedication in the face of ruin and homelessness. The world's coal and oil industry, its gold mining, its highway systems, and its railroad routes were all derived entirely from the creation of Smith's first map.; and with a keen eye and thoughtful detail, Simon Winchester unfolds the poignant sacrifice behind this world-changing discovery. |
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| Physical Description: |
xix, 329 pages, 2 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, maps ; 22 cm |
| Bibliography: |
Includes bibliographical references (pages 311-316) and index. |
| ISBN: |
9780061767906 0061767905 9780060193614 0060193611 9780006394228 0006394221 |
| Author Notes: |
He is the author of numerous books including In Holy Terror, The River at the Center of the World, The Alice Behind Wonderland, The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary, and.Exactly: How Precision Engineers Created the Modern World. In 2006, he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to journalism and literature. (Bowker Author Biography) |