The Map that Changed the World

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HISTORY
"[Winchester] dusts off the fossilized record of a revolutionary scientific discovery and transforms it into a compelling story. This is the transcendent legacy of one stubbornly earthbound man." —Boston Globe
In 1793, a canal digger named William Smith made a startling discovery. He found that by tracing the placement of fossils, which he uncovered in his excavations, one could foUow layers of rocks as they dipped and rose and feU—clear across England and, indeed, clear across the world—making it possible, for the first time ever, to draw a chart of the hidden underside of
the earth. Determined to expose what he realized was the landscape's secret fourth «
dimension. Smith spent twenty-two years piecing together the fragments of this unseen universe to create an epochal and remarkably beautiful hand-painted map. But instead of receiving accolades and honors, he ended up in debtors' prison, the victim of plagiarism, and virtually... Tovább

Fülszöveg

'•¦i^Hxaaer's:!,. . -- - ------^ 1
HISTORY
"[Winchester] dusts off the fossilized record of a revolutionary scientific discovery and transforms it into a compelling story. This is the transcendent legacy of one stubbornly earthbound man." —Boston Globe
In 1793, a canal digger named William Smith made a startling discovery. He found that by tracing the placement of fossils, which he uncovered in his excavations, one could foUow layers of rocks as they dipped and rose and feU—clear across England and, indeed, clear across the world—making it possible, for the first time ever, to draw a chart of the hidden underside of
the earth. Determined to expose what he realized was the landscape's secret fourth «
dimension. Smith spent twenty-two years piecing together the fragments of this unseen universe to create an epochal and remarkably beautiful hand-painted map. But instead of receiving accolades and honors, he ended up in debtors' prison, the victim of plagiarism, and virtually homeless for ten years more. Finally, in 1831, this quiet genius—now known as the father of modern geology—received the Geological Society of London's highest award and King William IV offered him a lifetime pension.
The Map That Changed the World is a very human tale of endurance and achievement, of one man's dedication in the face of ruin. With a keen eye and thoughtful detail, Simon Winchester unfolds the poignant sacrifice behind this world-changing discovery.
"Winchester masterfully weaves a compelling history."—Kewsday
"Smith's unsung Ufe provides the perfect backdrop for yet another entertaining intellectual history.'-' —Denver Post Vissza