The Map That Changed the World

William Smith and the Birth of Modern Geology

By: Simon Winchester

Narrated by: Simon Winchester

Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

From the author of the best-selling The Professor and the Madman comes 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.

In 1793 William Smith, a canal digger, made a startling discovery that was to turn the fledgling science of the history of the earth - and a central plank of established Christian religion - on its head. He noticed that the rocks he was excavating were arranged in layers; more important, he could see quite clearly that the fossils found in one layer were very different from those found in another. And out of that realization came an epiphany: that by following the fossils, one could trace layers of rocks as they dipped and rose and fell - clear across England and, indeed, clear across the world. Determined to publish his profoundly important discovery by creating a map that would display the hidden underside of England, he spent 20 years traveling the length and breadth of the kingdom by stagecoach and on foot, studying rock outcrops and fossils, piecing together the image of this unseen universe.

In 1815 he published his epochal and remarkably beautiful hand-painted map, more than eight feet tall and six feet wide. But four years after its triumphant publication, and with his young wife going steadily mad to the point of nymphomania, Smith ended up in debtors' prison, a victim of plagiarism, swindled out of his recognition and his profits. He left London for the north of England and remained homeless for 10 long years as he searched for work. It wasn't until 1831, when his employer, a sympathetic nobleman, brought him into contact with the Geological Society of London - which had earlier denied him a fellowship - that at last this quiet genius was showered with the honors long overdue him. He was summoned south to receive the society's highest award, and King William IV offered him a lifetime pension.

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.

©2001 Simon Winchester (P)2003 HarperCollinsPublishers, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Winchester is a fine stylist who also has a fine, clear reading voice. He fully engages listeners, not only with the excitement of Smith's life and work, but even with geological explications that would have been pretty dull in science class." (Publishers Weekly)
"It's an authoritative delivery and an enjoyable experience." (AudioFile)
"This is just the kind of creative nonfiction that elevates a seemingly arcane topic into popular fare." (Booklist)
"Winchester brings Smith's struggle to life in clear and beautiful language." (The New York Times Book Review)

jumbly

The author takes a non-chronological approach to the subject's life, making the book more confusing than it ought to have been. One is continually having to place the action on a mental timeline, draining most of the drama of its force.

Long, Better as an Article than a book

I've read all of Winchester and if you love geology, this may be the book for you, but as I told some friends, a book that uses the word chromo-stytography can only be so entertaining. This keeps turning over the man's personal life and you get a biography that feels stretched. The book is also fattened with a long interview at the end about other books by the author. So its thinner than you think, and should be thinner still. I don't think there was a book here though I learned something and the story is fascinating, but it should be a section in another longer work, not its own stand-out.

Enjoyable

I enjoy the history of the earth and the history of societies and this book encapsulates the two rather well. You get a good idea of the time which Smith lived, the ideas that abounded, and the man himself. William Smith reminds me a bit of Tesla in that he was a brilliant, eccentric man who was ambitious, but for some reason didn't finish things that could have solidified his career. Other books will do better to describe in detail the history of the earth via stratigraphy, but few will paint a better picture of how it was dicovered. It's just too bad WIlliam Smith wasn't a better diarist because it would have allowed Winchester to offer more from the mind of a man who's thoughts seem to be as hidden as the fossils he helped to unearth. A nice compliment to this book would be Alan Cutler's "The Seahell on the Mountaintop".

yes

geological Gainz in a book great great read trice I read it and many more to come at twelve

The Title Pulled Me In

How could I not read a book with this title? And it did deliver. Although I am not a geologist, or even a hobbyist, I was fascinated enough by this book that I’ve ordered books on the geology of Vermont, which is where I live. I do agree with other reviewers that the book was perhaps unnecessarily long due to repetition, but it may be that I would’ve forgotten a lot had it not been repeated since the topic is so foreign for me.

Typical Winchester history

Excellent information, excellent research, tying many diverse subjects. It wasn’t the most interesting of the topics he has written about.

Another great Simon Winchester!

I greatly enjoyed this book. Winchester is a fantastic writer, and is one of the few people that actually do a decent job reading their own work. He does go off on tangents, and is a bit redundant, probably so you can remember where he left off when he gets back from his little sidetrips, but I enjoy most of his diversions so I don't mind.

Fun for fans of history, geology and geography, and just plain good writing!

An amazing book!

What made the experience of listening to The Map That Changed the World the most enjoyable?

Who would have suspected that a book telling the story of the birth of geology as a science in England would be so fascinating and full of intrigue and drama! This was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, well written and beautifully presented. Clearly the author has a feel for the subject matter and presents it with charm and style.

What other book might you compare The Map That Changed the World to and why?

If you like history and science, just about anything that answers the question; how did this get started will do. Audible science offerings are full of books like this.

Which character – as performed by Simon Winchester – was your favorite?

William Smith of course!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes in terms of being able to maintain my interest. But I found myself listening to some chapters over just to enjoy the story and writing more.

Any additional comments?

I suppose it takes a certain leap of faith to listen to a book about geology. But really...this is good stuff. Interesting and even exciting.

first rate

Simon Winchester pulled together a ton of interesting information and weaved it into a fascinating story of how the Oxford English Dictionary came to life. Beyond the facts, the language he uses and his terrific narration make this audiobook first rate.

Highest Recommendation

This fascinating book is given the highest recommendation. It has many aspects which make it a wonderful tale based on a great mans life and accomplishments.