Finding Your Way Without Map or Compass [Paperback]

Harold Gatty (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 19, 1999

Today's adventurers will learn how to find their way in the wilderness, in towns, in the desert, in snow-covered areas — even on the ocean — by observing birds, animals, weather patterns, vegetation, shifting sands, patterns of snow fields, and the positions of the sun, moon, and stars.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (March 19, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 048640613X
• ISBN-13: 978-0486406138
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,471 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #3 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Science > Nature & Ecology > General
  • #3 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Sports > General
  • #4 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Outdoors & Nature > Hiking & Camping > Instructional

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

87 of 88 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very informative, June 1, 2006

By 

Sailing Triathlete (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Finding Your Way Without Map or Compass (Paperback)

This book is an example of why books are great. The knowledge contained in it would be largely lost or very difficult to compile had hte author not taken the time to publish it. He spent his life learning various methods of navigation around the world from many cultures: cultures not assimilated to the modern or western world.

I've always thought it would be fascinating to learn navigation or tracking from a native or someone who has learned information that has been passed down from generation to generation. Low tech, but very skillful. Art more than science. That is exactly what this book teaches.

The most interesting part for me was the explanation of how Polynesians navigated at sea: following migrating birds, seeing land beyond the horizon by watching reflections on the bottom of clouds, wave variation, and star positions.

There is a lot of good information for both land and sea, plus some for air. The author taught naviation to the US Air Force about the middle of the 20th century.

68 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't get lost without it, July 3, 2000

By 

P. Leijonhufvud (Sweden) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Finding Your Way Without Map or Compass (Paperback)

This book is a reprint of a classic. The author describes tested methods for finding your way using natural signs rather than map and compass. The methods covered range from the usual -- such as stars, the sun and trees -- to less common ones such as the routes of migratory sea birds or seasonal winds.

If you are travelling in the wilderness (or city; there is even a chapter on how to find your way in a strange city), I strongly recommend this book.

36 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well Written and Informative!, March 30, 2008

By 

Wandering Heart (Fountain Valley, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Finding Your Way Without Map or Compass (Paperback)

The title alone should pique your interest! It did for me and once I started reading it I wasn't disappointed. This was a well written and truly informative piece of work. Harold Gatty was well known amongst the pioneers of aviation for his expert navigation skills. Gatty navigated many cross country and cross continental flights, and his expertise was often sought after by pilots such as Charles Lindbergh, Wiley Post, and Howard Hughes.

In this book Gatty puts together his broad knowledge of simple navigation techniques used by some of the earliest settlers such as the Vikings, Polynesians, Portuguese, Native Americans and Aborigines. The author does a great job of creating an informative book and conveying it in an interesting way so that it isn't dry. You never know when this information might come in useful, plus you gain a greater appreciation for nature.