Riddle of the Compass

By: Amir D. Aczel

Narrated by: Henry Levya

The story of the compass is shrouded in mystery and myth, yet most will agree it begins around the time of the birth of Christ in ancient China. A mysterious lodestone whose powers affected metal was known to the Chinese emperor. When this piece of metal was suspended in water, it always pointed north. This unexplainable occurrence led to the stone's use in feng shui, the Chinese art of finding the right location. However, it was the Italians, more than a thousand years later, who discovered the ultimate destiny of the lodestone and unleashed its formidable powers. In Amalfi sometime in the twelfth century, the compass was born, crowning the Italians as the new rulers of the seas and heralding the onset of the modern world. Retracing the roots of the compass and sharing the fascinating story of navigation through the ages, The Riddle of the Compass is Aczel at his most entertaining and insightful.Executive Producer: Jacob Bronstein
Producer: John Wager
Produced by arrangement with Harcourt, Inc.
Original Jacket Photographs by (top) Kim Westerskov/Stone and Barry Marcus/FPG International
Original Jacket Design by Claudine Guerguerian
Author photograph by Debra Gross Aczel
©2001 by Amir Aczel
(P)2001 Random House, Inc.

so much folklore

This book was a facinating account of how the compass "may have" been invented. The author clearly did a lot of research into, if not determining the absolute truth, perhaps a plausible explanation of the various developments that, building upon one another, resulted in the magnetic compass.

Don't pass this up

Any additional comments?

I found this to be a very enjoyable listen. A lot of the specific details of the invention of the compass can never be known, so Aczel tells what is known, then goes off on different entertaining tangents of the times and places that are relevant to the story. At the end what you really know is that too much is unknowable. But it is still worth the trip. Henry Leyva does a very nice job reading, never sounding overbearing. Give this one a try. Rick.

A brief overview of the topic

Any additional comments?

If you are looking for an in-depth treatment of the topic, I don not think you will find it in this book. The book does not have the feel of a scholarly, historical work, but seems to be more a brief overview of the compass/seafaring, due to the exposure of the author as a child, to his father's profession as a ship's captain. The author sails past technical details about the compass and its history without real explanation. The author talks more about people and places that might have been important stepping stones in the development of the technology. Most annoyingly, his references can't be assumed to be "historically" accurate since he makes references to mythological biblical characters, possibly mythological persons, and historical people and places with no distinction. If you want a quick read and are just mildly interested in the topic, this is a decent little book. The book is not a bad place to "start." But don't expect to know a lot more about the "compass" when you finish than you did before you started.

book report material

You will only finish this book if your kid has to write a book report. I rate it two stars because the narrator has the enthusiasm to make the Bronx Yellow Pages intriguing and because I respect the author's other works. This book will win you several rounds of Trivial Pursuit. It probably started out as an exceptional article in the New Yorker, and there it should have remained. If you so yearn for nautical knowledge, check it out at a library. If you spend money on it or use a credit, you will be disappointed. I was.