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Measure of the Earth: The Enlightenment Expedition That Reshaped Our World Paperback – June 25, 2013

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 59 ratings

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In the early eighteenth century, at the peak of the Enlightenment, an unlikely team of European scientists and naval officers set out on the world's first international, cooperative scientific expedition.Intent on making precise astronomical measurements at the Equator, they were poised to resolve one of mankind's oldest mysteries: the true shape of the Earth.

In
Measure of the Earth, award-winning science writer Larrie D. Ferreiro tells the full story of the Geodesic Mission to the Equator for the very first time.It was an age when Europe was torn between two competing conceptions of the world: the followers of René Descartes argued that the Earth was elongated at the poles, even as IsaacNewton contended that it was flattened. A nation that could accurately determine the planet's shape could securely navigate its oceans, giving it great military and imperial advantages.Recognizing this, France and Spain organized a joint expedition to colonial Peru, Spain's wealthiest kingdom.Armed with the most advanced surveying and astronomical equipment, they would measure a degree of latitude at the Equator, which when compared with other measurements would reveal the shape of the world.But what seemed to be a straightforward scientific exercise was almost immediately marred by a series of unforeseen catastrophes, as the voyagers found their mission threatened by treacherous terrain, a deeply suspicious populace, and their own hubris.

A thrilling tale of adventure, political history, and scientific discovery,
Measure of the Earth recounts the greatest scientific expedition of the Enlightenment through the eyes of the men who completed it -- pioneers who overcame tremendous adversity to traverse the towering Andes Mountains in order to discern the Earth's shape. In the process they also opened the eyes of Europe to the richness of South America and paved the way for scientific cooperation on a global scale.
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Carla Rahn Phillips, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
“Ferreiro's
Measure of the Earth nicely captures the scientific complexity and physical difficulty of this extraordinary expedition. At the same time, the author provides richly textured portraits of all the principal protagonists, whose personal foibles and rivalries sometimes undercut their professional skills. This is a compelling tale of international politics, Enlightened science, and human drama, played out on both sides of the Atlantic.”

Felipe Fernández-Armesto, William P. Reynolds Professor of Arts and Letters, University of Notre Dame, and author of Pathfinders
“Larrie D. Ferreiro tells us that Voltaire could make difficult subjects accessible to everyone. In
Measure of the Earth Ferreiro shows that he can do the same, with his Voltairean gifts of mastery of material and fluency in prose.

Kirkus
“A sophisticated work tracing the arduous mid-18th-century international expedition to the Latin American equator to determine the “figure of the earth."

Publishers Weekly
“[A] fascinating and clearly written account”

Peter C. Mancall, author of Fatal Journey: The Final Expedition of Henry Hudson
“Doing science in the eighteenth century demanded almost unbearable sacrifices for distant rewards and only the most dedicated could handle the challenges. Larrie Ferreiro's deep research has produced a highly readable account of one of the great scientific expeditions of the age of the Enlightenment, a venture all the more riveting since it unfolded amidst imperial contests and devastating tragedy and tested the psychological and physical limits of those keen to expand knowledge of the shape of the Earth.”

James Horn, author of A Kingdom Strange and A Land as God Made It
“In
Measure of the Earth, Larrie Ferreiro tells the dramatic story of the first international scientific expedition to South America to establish the precise dimensions of the globe.  The French scientists who led the expedition to the Andes overcame incredible adversities traversing the jungles and highlands of equatorial Peru, surviving near mutiny, attacks by local inhabitants, war, siege, and the skepticism of fellow academicians in their homeland to complete their mission and achieve lasting fame.  Beautifully written, Ferreiro's book provides an authoritative and gripping account of one of the greatest scientific breakthroughs of the Enlightenment.”

Andrés Reséndez, author of A Land So Strange
“The greatest achievement of Larrie D. Ferreiro's wonderful book is to walk us with perfect ease through remote locales and arcane subjects. Mr. Ferreiro seems no less at home in Guayaquil than in Paris or London and no less lucid in explaining the debates over the shape of the earth between Newtonians and Cartesians than in describing the intrigues surrounding the French Academy or the excruciating logistics of a scientific mission unfolding in colonial South America.”

Kim MacQuarrie, author of The Last Days of the Incas
“The story of the race to determine the shape of the Earth is one of history's most engaging yet least-known stories. In
Measure of the Earth, Larrie Ferreiro takes us inside the scientific expedition that set off from France to South America in the 18th century to discover the answer. Ferreiro not only brings to life the band of characters that embarked on this journey, with all of their intrigues and rivalries, but he also details the huge stakes involved. Whichever county discovered the Earth's correct shape would take a giant leap forwards in enhancing their military and economic power.  A fascinating account of scientific inquiry thoroughly enmeshed in the race for power and empire.”

About the Author

Larrie D. Ferreiro is the author and editor of several books on the history of science and technology, including Ships and Science, which received the North American Society for Oceanic History's John Lyman Award for Best Book in Science and Technology. A frequent maritime contributor to the History Channel and the Discovery Channel, he was an on-screen historical consultant to a BBC documentary about the Geodesic Mission. He lives in Fairfax, Virginia.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Basic Books; Reprint edition (June 25, 2013)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 376 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0465063810
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0465063819
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 13 years and up
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 8 and up
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.94 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 59 ratings

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Larrie D. Ferreiro
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Larrie D. Ferreiro is the 2017 Pulitzer finalist for History, for his book "Brothers at Arms: American Independence and the Men of France and Spain Who Saved It". He received his PhD in the History of Science and Technology from Imperial College London. He teaches history and engineering at George Mason University in Virginia and the Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey. He has served for over thirty-five years in the US Navy, US Coast Guard and Department of Defense, and was an exchange engineer in the French Navy. He lives with his wife and their sons in Virginia.

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4.6 out of 5 stars
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Customers say

Customers find the book's historical context interesting and wonderful. They describe it as a great read about early attempts to measure the divergence of the Earth from a prefect angle. The writing quality is described as well-written and accessible.

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8 customers mention "Historical context"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the historical context interesting and informative. They describe it as a wonderful slice of intellectual history that they hope will inspire them. The book provides an account of early attempts to measure the divergence of the earth from a perfect circle. It is well-written and gives a good account of the theory and history of the event.

"...Mr Ferreiro's book describes a wonderful slice of intellectual history that I hope will inspire young people to carry on the Enlightenment project..." Read more

"Terrific and fascinating story well told and accessible on a number of levels be it mathematics, 19th century history, and adventure." Read more

"...Well done is more than enough said of this well written and intensely interesting work...." Read more

"Very well written and informative. I could not stop reading it." Read more

4 customers mention "Readability"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read. They say it's a great story about scientists and their work.

"A great book, similar to to Ken Adler's 'The Measure of all Things'...." Read more

"Terrific and fascinating story well told and accessible on a number of levels be it mathematics, 19th century history, and adventure." Read more

"Absolute great read of a group of amazing scientists that determine the shape of the earth...." Read more

"Great book...." Read more

4 customers mention "Writing quality"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the writing quality good. They say the story is well-told and accessible.

"Terrific and fascinating story well told and accessible on a number of levels be it mathematics, 19th century history, and adventure." Read more

"...Well done is more than enough said of this well written and intensely interesting work...." Read more

"Very well written and informative. I could not stop reading it." Read more

"Well written and gives a good account of the theory and the history of the event." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2014
    A great book, similar to to Ken Adler's 'The Measure of all Things'. The persistence of these 18th C. astronomer-surveyors to measure a small section of the Earth in the equatorial Andes is astounding. Their personalities and surveying techniques are described, and the background political and scientific context of the expedition is covered. This book goes a long way toward enabling a layperson understand what life was like in 18th C. Europe and Spanish Peru (now Ecuador). The book does not shy away from the immoral activities of colonial powers and people. Nevertheless, the quest of these Enlightenment scientists to understand the world rationally was truly ground-breaking and that philosophy underpins modern prosperity. Mr Ferreiro's book describes a wonderful slice of intellectual history that I hope will inspire young people to carry on the Enlightenment project to all parts of the modern world; it sorely needs it.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2013
    Terrific and fascinating story well told and accessible on a number of levels be it mathematics, 19th century history, and adventure.
    2 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2016
    Mr. Ferreiro just became one of my favorite writers! Well done is more than enough said of this well written and intensely interesting work. Dang I'm glad he wrote this and got it out on the streets before another day passed without this most interesting story being widely known. A must read for any adventurous reader out there! Don't miss this historical treat! Kurt Hibbert, Sugar City, Idaho.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2021
    Very well written and informative. I could not stop reading it.
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2014
    Intriguing account of early attempts to measure the divergence of the earth from a prefect sphere. An interesting historical account including the scientific principles behind the two conflicting theories, oblate or prolate shape.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2014
    Captivating story, with profound political, social and historical context of the 18th century Europe and South America; revealing how complicated was the whole mission.
    2 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2014
    Well written and gives a good account of the theory and the history of the event.
    3 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2012
    Absolute great read of a group of amazing scientists that determine the shape of the earth. The expedition to Peru in the early 1700's provides insight into a world that most of us never new existed.
    3 people found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars MEASURE THE EARTH
    Reviewed in France on May 21, 2016
    BEST BOOK FOR SCIENCE HISTORY IN AMÉRICA
    I LOVE THIS BOOK
    MESURE AND ASTRONOMY IS FUNDAMENTAL IN GEODÉSICA FULL WORK
  • Artshed
    5.0 out of 5 stars A science fact 'ripping yarn' page turner.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 25, 2013
    If you enjoy a scientific and factual ripping yarn this could be the book for you. The book centers on one of the key scientific questions of the 'Enlightenment' and takes the reader through the entire event sequence. The shape of the Earth was an important question and this book takes us on an exciting and informative journey from the forming of the question in the minds of Descartes and Newton to the final conclusion of the mission and even the circumstances of the deaths of the participants in old age. On a personal note; I live near Novelda and the birth place of Jorge Juan, one of the Spanish contingent. I have visited the house he was born in and seen his statue in the centre of Novelda. This book has answered many questions I had about the man himself.
    If you like factual books, this is worth your consideration. I read it from cover to cover and enjoyed every page.
  • Peter Metcalfe
    4.0 out of 5 stars A great read.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 10, 2019
    Talk about a catalogue of errors. This group of scientists fell out with one another from the word go and misbehaved appaulingly in their time in and around Quito. Whether they were all self centred control freaks or just belligerent is not clear, but whatever, it made for a great read and I thoroughly recommend it to anyone with any interest in the subject. Let us not forget all the hardships they endured and the results they came up with so bravo to them. The whole thing made for a real page turner.