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Decoding the Heavens: Solving the Mystery of the World's First Computer Paperback – July 1, 2009

by Josephine Marchant (Author)

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In 1900, a group of sponge divers blown off course in the Mediterranean discovered an Ancient Greek shipwreck dating from around 70 BC. Lying unnoticed for months amongst their hard-won haul was what appeared to be a formless lump of corroded rock, which turned out to be the most stunning scientific artefact we have from antiquity. For more than a century this 'Antikythera mechanism' puzzled academics, but now, more than 2000 years after the device was lost at sea, scientists have pieced together its intricate workings. In "Decoding the Heavens", Jo Marchant tells for the first time the story of the 100-year quest to understand this ancient computer. Along the way she unearths a diverse cast of remarkable characters - ranging from Archimedes to Jacques Cousteau - and explores the deep roots of modern technology not only in Ancient Greece, the Islamic world and medieval Europe.

Print length

336 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Windmill
Publication date

July 1, 2009
Dimensions

5.08 x 0.87 x 7.8 inches
ISBN-10

0099519763
ISBN-13

978-0099519768
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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Windmill (July 1, 2009)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0099519763
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0099519768
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.5 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.08 x 0.87 x 7.8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,685,947 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #430 in Physics of Time (Books)
- #1,984 in Ancient Greek History (Books)

Customer Reviews:
60 ratings

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5 star		79%
4 star		10%
3 star		6%
2 star		5%
1 star 0% (0%)		0%

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David H. Bailey

Great scientific mystery story

Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2008

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This is a combination Roman-era history work, archaeological study, mathematical analysis, and detective novel, all rolled into one -- but written more engagingly than any book of history, archaeology, math or forensic analysis.

Marchant studies what is now known as the "Antikythera mechanism", a remarkable archaeological find dating back to 70-60BC. After more than a century of on-again, off-again study, scholars finally (in 2005) concluded that it is an extremely sophisticated astronomical computer. It completely upends centuries of research that has assumed that the Greeks, apart from a handful of scholars such as Euclid, Archimedes and Aristarchus, were relatively backward scientifically.

Marchant has done her homework well, and has written her topic in a very readable yet uncompromising style. One warning, though: make sure you have several hours blanked out -- you won't be able to put it down.

10 people found this helpful

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Eirini Veneri

Thank you

Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2020

Verified Purchase

Everything was good. Thank-you.

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George T. Jacoby

A Calculating Look At The Antikythera Mechanism

Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2016

Verified Purchase

Excellent look at the Antikythera mechanism (and how to pronounce it ;-) ) and all the implications.

Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2014

Verified Purchase

And it is a true story. You usually have to go to fiction for a story like this. Thank you for making it available to general public.

Helpful

Maria A. de Armas

Decoding the Heavens: Solving the mystery of the world's first computer by Josephine Marchant

Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2013

Verified Purchase

Once you start reading this book it is very hard to put it down. It is highly interesting and very well documented. Even if you already knew about the Antikythera mechanism beforehand, this book, perhaps, offers new insights due to its very detailed narrative. Engrossing tale! With photographs,

One person found this helpful

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ianb

A variable work

Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2014

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I found the book light on the detail i wanted on the astronomy, mechanics and maths, wordy where diagrams would have been clearer, patronizing in other areas (e.g. telling me that 225,000 is nearly a quarter of a million) and too much like a novel in other areas. It also tended to digress. Not quite the follow up to Freeth's documentary that i was looking for.

3 people found this helpful

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Rev. Bill McDonald Jr.

Reads Like a Great Adventure Novel

Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2008

Author Jo Marchant has created a book that makes the "Indiana Jones" adventure movies seem boring! Her book is not some fictional archeological novel written in some protected writer's den - but "Decoding the Heavens" is the real deal. The book provides new insights and even greater questions that have been left unanswered by science and history. The story is absolutely amazing, as told by a talented and gifted writer. She takes history, science and math and weaves a tale that is both entertaining and educational.

The book details more than 100 years of effort to unravel the mysteries surrounding an old Greek device. This old archaeological fragment acts in some ways very much like today's modern computers, in that it is able to provide data and information. Who designed it and more importantly how - become the quest for the author, as she explored the roots and origins and mysteries of this 2,000 year old Antikythera mechanism.

This is really a surprisingly good read - I was not expecting such a great story. It is - as the old express goes - a book you cannot put down! A most throughly enjoyable experience and one that leaves you in awe and wonder! I fully recommend this book and give it The American Authors Association's highest book rating of FIVE STARS!

9 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

philogos

A good story that will whet the appetite for a more technical explanation

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 28, 2018

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This book focuses on the discovery and examination of the device rather than its technical details. As a story, I found it very readable, although it did seem to be a bit partisan. It doesn't have very much detail on the device itself - Wikipedia has more on the gearing and what the original might have looked like. Nevertheless, I would definitely recommend this as an introduction and I intend going on to take a more detailed look at the technology of the device.

One person found this helpful

MKM

Reads Like a Detective Story.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 17, 2020

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I was inspired to purchase this book after seeing a video of the author giving a lecture on the Antikythera device. I was particularly impressed by the fact that she didn't use any notes. It is a thoroughly enjoyable read on a subject that could become boring. I have no hesitation in giving it five stars.

max sexton

Successfully decoded

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 16, 2013

Verified Purchase

A thoroughly entertaining book about one man's struggle to bring to the attention of the world the possibility that the ancient Greeks possessed a knowledge of celestial mathematics, which, if true, would mean that they were well in advance of what had previously been believed. Told as a detective story using the main character of a man employed by the Science Museum and battling against officialdom, the book is accessible to the layman as much as to the expert. As always, any criticism tends to be subjective, but I would have enjoyed more research about the use of mathematics in ancient times to help make it clear how sophisticated the world's first computer really was. A bit more contextualisation would have made a stronger book, in my opinion, but maybe it would have become too long for a publisher. Nevertheless, an well researched and fascinating account of how little we know about historical events because so much information has been lost over the centuries, and what surprises may still lie in store on the bottom of the Mediterranean.

2 people found this helpful

IhateTV

What ever happend?

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 21, 2020

Verified Purchase

This is a well written book on the subject, if you are interested.

Amazon Customer

Brilliant

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 20, 2020

Verified Purchase

Very satisfied with my purchase. Thank you

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