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william smith simon winchester changed the world map that changed professor and the madman modern geology well written geological society smith lived a wretched life birth of modern science of geology history of science writing style father of geology wollaston medal map of england coal mines british isles strata smith debtors prison
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Phillip Petty
3.0 out of 5 stars It's really interesting when it's actually on topic.
Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2020
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This book suffers from a major lack of identity. The title of the book might lead you to believe that it's about The Map That Changed the World and how William Smith created it. However, the book is all over the place. There are countless sentences which are about one thing, then have a random jab at religion thrown in at the last second; the author often throws in details about people who, he openly admits in the text, had nothing to do with Smith's life or work; and, the language is confusing -- it's verbose, meandering, and, on several occasions, contradictory. Frequently, I'd have to reread a sentence multiple times because it would use positive adjectives to describe some thing negatively. It was as if he was raving about how great an event was and then ending with "unfortunately". I would be left confused, "was that meant as a good thing or a bad thing?" "What was he trying to say?"

I give the book 3 stars because it did give some good information about Smith's work, and I really wanted that information. Unless you have a particular interest in this subject, like I do, this book might not be worth your time, money, or effort.
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Turkles
5.0 out of 5 stars A Topographic Tour de Force
Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2016
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As a child I drew hundreds of maps for pleasure...and later, professionally, for the States of Connecticut and Delaware. Even without that kind of a background, however, I believe most readers would find this a most interesting tome. History; surveying; mining; geology; canal building...and the personalities involved, will surely interest the most laconic reader. I'm just sorry that I didn't know of the maps existence when we were in England; for I would surely have made an effort to view it. If you're planning a trip a trip to England...read this book first !
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Mr. Dextrose
4.0 out of 5 stars The Long Battle for Science
Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2018
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William Smith and his map may have been the opening shot in the ongoing battle for reason to win out over superstition as creationists still insist on a 6000 year old earth and against evolution. It also shows how hierarchical British science was at the time and remained for many years. Smith, much like James Harrison, had to fight for recognition of his accomplishments.

I've read several of Winchester's books over the years and find them to be reliably interesting and informative. If you're interested in how science has come to describe the natural world, this book should be on your reading list.
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Daniel Dwyer
5.0 out of 5 stars Eventually Truth Wins Out
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2018
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The story of William Smith as brilliantly told by Simon Winchester should inspire every person whose ideas will contribute to the advancement of his fellow man. It should also encourage us in our setbacks to carry on and perform even better. I marveled at Smith's genius, but I was in awe of his persistence and the belief in himself, and I was made thankful that he was destined to be appreciated before he died. I'm his own way, William Smith was a saint and Simon Winchester proved to be a worthy hagiographer.
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Mark LaPointe
4.0 out of 5 stars Language was too flowery
Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2012
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After finishing this biography, I would say it was "exciting." But that was certainly not the feeling I had reading it. The author is too flowery, using long descriptions of the times and events and other personages. It took me three starts over five years to finally get into it, and to do so I had to skip a lot. If you like elaborate descriptions of England, and English society in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and looking up the meanings of obscure words you will love this book.

Seven months later, I reread this review and felt it was too negative--gives the wrong impression. I still give the book four stars as I did previously, but don't know how to fix my own paragraph description so I shall let it stand and supply this supplemental note: It's kind of like watching all the Lord of the Ring movies. They were great but the sheer length is a deterrent from watching them again. In regard to this book, it was great and even the memories of it are still inspirational, but the excessive descriptions are a disincentive for rereading it again. Understand that this is only my preference, if you like or at least don't mind the descriptive passages you will love this book.
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Thomas Erickson
5.0 out of 5 stars Father of Geology. His lifes ups and downs
Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2011
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Simon Winchester is a great author. I read his books about the great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 and the eruption of Krakatoa..5 stars..see my reviews.

The Map that Changed the World is about William Smith the "Father of Geology" and the Great Map of England's Geology that he created.

We see William as a young man as a surveyor of coal mines and canals in England in the early 19th century as England was getting a great industrialization. He temporarily has a very good income but over stretched his finances, buying a large estate with a large mortgage, renting an expensive apartment, opening up a mine that fails and marrying a woman who develops heath problems and severe mental illnesses. He is fired from his job and tries getting smaller temporary jobs but eventually is thrown in "Debtors Prison". He is financially ruined.

William through the decades learns about the different strata layers of the earth and the different fossils that are in certain layers. He learns the layers represent different ages of the earth and are very, very old.He believes much, much older than anyone thought. He battles people who for religious reasons believe that God created the earth in 1 day and the earth is way less than 10.000 years old. Today by carbon radioactive isotope dating, we know that some of these rock layers are hundreds of millions of years old and older. In William's early 1800th days no one knew this.

Also a rich, snob member of the "Geologist Society" steals William's geology data and plagiarizes his great Map of England's underground Geology. A friend takes financially destroyed William and his wife in. Eventually the snobs in the Geology Society lose their power and William is recognized as the true "Father of Geology and the true creator of the great Map of England's Geology. William is given the ultimate recognition by his peers, the gold Wollaston Medal. Eventually, William gets his true Great colored Map of England's Geology printed and copies sold. He is given an Irish honorary doctorate degree and a $100LB pension from the English government. Finally he has the recognition as the "Father of English Geology and the creator of the Great Colored Large Map of English Geology.

I won't ruin the ending for you. A great ending. Anyone interested in the history of Geology, fossils or map creation will enjoy this book plus you will learn a little about the different Earth layers and where some different kinds of fossils are located in the different layers/ages.

I developed a lot of empathy for William Smith and gave a small cheer when he eventually gets his recognition as "Father of Geology", and the creator of the Great Colored large Map of English Geology a revolutionary breakthrough showing the underground geology layers that changed people's thinking about how the earth rock/layers were formed, the rock layers ages ,and life at differnt ages on earth) and happiness. 5 stars and recommended. Another winner by Simon Winchester!
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Seymourstars
4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 23, 2021
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I enjoyed learning about this exceptional man but I found Winchester's writing style a bit contrived and occasionally the words unnecessarily obscure. Also the narrative style of jumping backwards and forwards in time could be confusing. However, these issues did little to spoil the enjoyment of the book and I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in geology or local Somerset history.
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Maupertus
4.0 out of 5 stars Although I liked the idea and it was certainly very well written
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 14, 2016
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A very interesting story that tells the history of the creation of a scientific area. Although I liked the idea and it was certainly very well written, I was a bit underwhelmed by the book. Winchester brings his tale as if it is full of high drama and wonder, yet this contrasts with the actual events and work done by Smith. Although it is clear that an injustice was done to the father of geology, the nature of this injustice and how it was resolved is but a small part of the book. All in all, a very good book that gives a good insight into England in a period of epic change, but not one that I would necessarily recommend to someone without a specific connection to the topic of geology or 19th century England.
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Ms. C. B. Mclaglen
5.0 out of 5 stars The Map that Changed the World Simon Winchester
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 10, 2014
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The story of William Smith's discoveries when he was a surveyor employed to use intruments to help him direct railway workers on how much hill could be taken away or tunneling through a hill so that the rail could reasonably run on there. As a child on his father's farm he noticed objects that were commonly in the soil from fossils but he learnt this later and realised that the strata he found in these hundreds of miles of digging were the same strata is some parts of the country but not in others. He began to map them all meticulously and found fossils common to each. Eventually he put them in the building made especially for this in the Rotunda Mueum in Scarborough after creating the first huge map of Great Britain showing all the various strata in the country. It is a facinating story and was not easy for him to be recognised for other richer men wanted his knowledge and fame for themselves. Cynthia Allen McLaglen
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M. Hillmann
5.0 out of 5 stars Compulsive reading on fossils and geology - you think I'm joking?
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 25, 2009
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A book on fossils and the establishment of the science of geology - a fascinating and compulsive read - you must be joking!

But Simon Winchester recounts the original thought and breakthrough that William Smith made in the late 1700's that became not just the science of geology but provided the basis that helped Charles Darwin formulate his ideas. And he does it in such an entertaining way.

Andrew Smith's great breakthrough was his realisation that all rocks laid down as sediments at a particular time and in a particular place are laid down with the same characteristics and the same fossils always appear in the same stratigraphical order. Therefore by noting the fossils found, he could forecast the order of strata beneath them and so produce a geological map.

And he went on to geologically map the whole of the British Isles, producing his masterpiece in 1815. He also realised that the more recent strata contained fossils that appeared to be higher forms of life than the fossils in strata lower down and hence provided the evidence that creation was not exactly 6,000 years ago when all species were simultaneously created as was the prevailing belief. Smith recognised and produced the evidence that life far older than mankind had once existed on the planet.

But what makes the book so readable is the story of William Smith's life set in the social history of the time. He was from a lower class who learned his trade as an apprentice land surveyor at the times of the enclosures, then as a mining surveyor and then a surveyor for the canal boom. His theories were developed from his observations and his practical experience.

But not being a member of the aristocracy created an almost insurmountable barrier to the acceptance of his ideas and his involvement in the burgeoning societies for scientific development. But there were well connected doctors / MP's / vicars - Joseph Townsend and Benjamin Richardson - who recognised Smith's brilliance and assisted him to formulate and write down his ideas. And particularly Sir Joseph Banks a prominent member of the aristocracy who sponsored him.

But he remained unrecognised and in deep financial trouble for much of his life - 30 nights in a debtors prison - all his possessions taken - his outstanding fossil collection sold to pay his bills. But fortunately in his old age, the new more enlightened society did recognise him as one of the most significant men of the 19th century and gave him the honours and respect he deserved.
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C. L. Muralidharan
4.0 out of 5 stars BONE DRY SUBJECT ELEGANTLY RETOLD:
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 1, 2011
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Simon Winchester has woven a splendid story with a dry subject. The book kept me absorbed for a week. Whenever I decided to take a break from reading a chapter my inquisitiveness got over my lethargy and made me to read the book continuously. What made me obsessed with the book though it contained so many scientific jargons and was dealing with a very dry subject? It is nothing but the sheer style of Simon's writing. Few of my colleague readers may wonder why I am so much obsessed with the author's style rather than with the subject. It is not out of place to mention here that what bogged the rustic geologist, Mr.William in his endeavour , is nothing but the art of expression and the style the lack of which stood as an insurmountable obstacle to his producing two volumes which he promised to his subscribers. Mr.Williams, though a genius, was an uneducated rustic, who could not form his thoughts cogently and express them in simple sentences which stood in his way of producing the promised books to his readers. At this juncture I am reminded of the great English Man, Mr.William Cobbet who was a plough man and who taught himself the elementary principles of Grammar which ultimately made him one of the masters of English Prose. Mr.Cobbett, who was practically an English Yeoman, was sympathetic to the rural poor of England, who could not effectively draft petitions to King in clear terms explaining the enormous difficulties faced by them and the relief needed by them from His Majesty. To such poor people Cobbeett was helpful in drafting petitions to the King and Government in clear terms. It is a pity that though England was having a number of literate persons at the e period of William Smith no one came forward to helping him to put his thoughts in an orderly fashion for publishing a book on geology which would have been of immense help to the posterity.

Summing up the whole matter I state that I enjoyed the book very much

With regards

Muralidharan
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