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Sextant
A Voyage Guided by the Stars and the Men Who Mapped the World’s Oceans
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Check link for latest rating. ( 782 ratings, 76 reviews)
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Sextant
$2500
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
In the tradition of Dava Sobel's ‘Longitude’ comes sailing expert David Barrie's compelling and dramatic tale of invention and discovery – an eloquent elegy to one of the most important navigational instruments ever created, and the daring mariners who used it to explore, conquer, and map the world.
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Description
In the tradition of Dava Sobel's Longitude, comes sailing expert David Barrie's compelling and dramatic tale of invention and discovery – an eloquent elegy to one of the most important navigational instruments ever created, and the daring mariners who used it to explore, conquer, and map the world.
This is the dramatic story of an instrument that changed history. Built around David Barrie’s own transatlantic passage using the very same navigational tools as Captain Cook, Sextant tells how one of the most vital navigational instruments was invented and used – and why the golden age of celestial navigation has now come to an end.
From Cook, Bligh, and Vancouver to Bougainville, La Pérouse, Flinders, and FitzRoy, Barrie recounts the fortunes of the explorers who risked their lives in charting the Pacific, as well as the intrepid adventures of Slocum, Shackleton, and Worsley.
A heady mix of history, science, and adventure, this elegy to a lost technology is infused with the wonder of discovery and the sublimity of the cosmos.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Sextant by David Barrie has received praise for its beautiful construction and adventurous spirit. Critics have highlighted its engaging writing and the nostalgic homage it pays to traditional navigation before GPS. The narrative benefits from Barrie’s personal sailing experiences, making it appealing for those interested in maritime history and exploration.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780007516582
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 04 June 2015
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: William Collins
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 24.0mm
Width: 129.0mm
Height: 198.0mm
Weight: 290g
Pages: 368
About the Author
David Barrie was for many years in the Diplomatic Service, and has held many distinguished posts since then. He is a passionate and dedicated sailor and was inspired to write this book in homage to the remarkable people who brought celestial navigation to perfection, and to the generations of mariners who put the sextant to such good use in charting the world’s oceans. He lives in West London.
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