About Time

A History of Civilization in Twelve Clocks

By: David Rooney

Narrated by: David Rooney

Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

Since the dawn of civilisation, 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. Sometimes, also with clocks, we have fought back.

In About Time, time expert David Rooney tells the story of timekeeping, and how it continues to shape our modern world. In 12 chapters, demarcated like the hours of time, we meet the greatest inventions in horological history, from medieval water clocks to monumental sundials, and from coastal time signals to satellites in Earth's orbit. We discover how clocks have helped us navigate the world, build empires and even taken us to the brink of destruction.

Over the course of this global journey, Rooney demonstrates how each of these clocks has shone a spotlight onto human civilisation and shows us the very real effects clocks continue to have on everything from capitalism, to politics, to our very identity.

This is the story of timing. And the story of timing is the story of us.

©2021 David Rooney (P)2021 Penguin Audio