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About Time: A History Of Civilization In Twelve ClocksStock informationGeneral Fields
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Local DescriptionReview: 'About Time is an utterly dazzling book, the best piece of history I have read for a long time. From sundials in ancient Rome to astronomical, water-driven, mechanical and atomic timepieces used throughout history and across cultures, Rooney has written the definitive book on these remarkable objects that give order to everyday life. It is a moving and beautifully written book that even takes us 5,000 years into the future with plutonium clocks ticking away beneath our feet. There will be many puns about this as a timely book; in fact, it is timeless' -- Jerry Brotton, author of A History of the World in Twelve Maps 'Abundantly clever ... [Rooney's] notion is that time-noting instruments of one kind or another have been central to human endeavor, and he illustrates the power of such influence by scores of well-curated examples ... lovely and engaging, with myriad fascinations on every page' -- Simon Winchester * New York Times * Author Biography: David Rooney, historian and former curator of timekeeping at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, is a director of the Antiquarian Horological Society and sits on the management committee of the Clockmakers' Museum, the world's oldest clock and watch museum. DescriptionA horological history of human civilisation, told through twelve world-changing clocks Since the dawn of civilization, we have kept time. But time has always been against us. From the city sundials of ancient Rome to the era of the smartwatch, clocks have been used throughout history to wield power, make money, govern citizens and keep control. In About Time, time expert David Rooney tells the story of timekeeping, and how it continues to shape our modern world. Over twelve chapters we discover how clocks have helped us navigate the world, build empires and even taken us to the brink of destruction. This is the story of time. And the story of time is the story of us. |