Compass: A Story of Exploration and Innovation

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.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Published: 08/17/2005
ISBN: 9780393327137
Pages: 320
Weight: 0.62lbs
Size: 8.06h x 5.44w x 0.38d

Review Citations: Kliatt 03/01/2006 pg. 38