God's Clockmaker: Richard of Wallingford and the Invention of Time [Paperback]

J. D. North (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 15, 2007

Clocks became common in late medieval Europe and the measurement of time began to rule everyday life. God's Clockmaker is a biography of England's greatest medieval scientist, a man who solved major practical and theoretical problems to build an extraordinary and pioneering astronomical and astrological clock. Richard of Wallingford (1292-1336), the son of a blacksmith, was a brilliant mathematician with a genius for the practical solution of technical problems. Trained at Oxford, he became a monk and then abbot of the great abbey of St Albans, where he built his clock. Although as abbot he held great power, he was also a tragic figure, becoming a leper. His achievement, nevertheless, is a striking example of the sophistication of medieval science, based on knowledge handed down from the Greeks via the Arabs.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'John North...is determined to put Richard on the historical map - and what a map it is. Its sweep and fine-grained detail make his account a veritable tour de force of erudition.'

17/11/2006

(Owen Gingerich The Times Higher Education Supplement )

"If this book can work a comparable magic on others, inspiring more of us to take up investigation of the same historiographical path, our understanding of the Middle Ages, modernity, and the history of science will be the better for it." Steven P Marrone, Speculuma Journal of Medieval Studies 1 September 2009

'John North...is determined to put Richard on the historical map - and what a map it is. Its sweep and fine-grained detail make his account a veritable tour de force of erudition.'

17/11/2006

(, The Times Higher Education Supplement ) --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Book Description

God's Clockmaker is a biography of England's greatest medieval scientist, a man who solved major practical and theoretical problems to build an extraordinary and pioneering astronomical and astrological clock. Richard of Wallingford (1292-1336), the son of a blacksmith, was a brilliant mathematician with a genius for the practical solution of technical problems. Trained at Oxford, he became a monk and then abbot of the great abbey of St. Albans, where he designed his clock. His achievement is a striking example of the sophistication of medieval science, based on knowledge handed down from the Greeks and the Arabs.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Hambledon Continuum (January 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1852855711
• ISBN-13: 978-1852855710
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,260,789 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent review of medieval math, August 27, 2008

By 

Herbert Sauro (Seattle, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: God's Clockmaker: Richard of Wallingford and the Invention of Time (Hardcover)

Loved this book. Although the book's title suggests it's about clocks, its scope is much broader and includes material about how science, mathematics and philosophy were intertwined with religion and everyday life in 12/13th century England. Personally I found the book extremely well written and a pleasure to read.

5 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must be good, February 24, 2006

By 

A. J. Costello "Grolb" (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: God's Clockmaker: Richard of Wallingford and the Invention of Time (Hardcover)

This book was recommended in a clock magazine. It describes the making of a medieval astronomical clock in England. It must be excellent, because ordered on Jan 4, it has not yet arrived (February 24). Evidently it is in great demand, or very short supply. Amazon, in inviting me to write this review, apparently does not know that it has still not arrived. Finally, ordering it elsewhere (it was delivered within a week!) I can confirm that it is excellent, though it reuires good math skills.