About Time

byDavid Rooney, David Rooney (Read by)

A History of Civilization in Twelve Clocks

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Since the dawn of civilization, we have kept time. But time has always been against us. From the city sundials of ancient Rome to the era of the smartwatch, clocks have been used throughout history to wield power, make money, govern citizens and keep control.

In About Time, time expert David Rooney tells the story of timekeeping, and how it continues to shape our modern world. Over twelve chapters we discover how clocks have helped us navigate the world, build empires and even taken us to the brink of destruction.

This is the story of timing. And the story of timing is the story of us.
'About Time is an utterly dazzling book, the best piece of history I have read for a long time. From sundials in ancient Rome to astronomical, water-driven, mechanical and atomic timepieces used throughout history and across cultures, Rooney has written the definitive book on these remarkable objects that give order to everyday life. It is a moving and beautifully written book that even takes us 5,000 years into the future with plutonium clocks ticking away beneath our feet. There will be many puns about this as a timely book; in fact, it is timeless'
Jerry Brotton, author of A History of the World in Twelve Maps

About David Rooney

David Rooney is a historian and museum curator. Born in north-east England, he moved to London in 1995 to take a traineeship at the Science Museum, where he first encountered the aeroplane that completed the Big Hop in 1919. Over an almost thirty-year career, David has curated timekeeping, transport and engineering collections at institutions from the National Maritime Museum to the Science Museum, bringing historical stories vividly alive. He is the author of About Time: A History of Civilization in Twelve Clocks (2021), which has been translated into eleven languages.

About The Big Hop, David says: ‘It is 30 years since I first walked beneath the canvas wings of an ungainly biplane and wondered what must have possessed two young men to fly it across the Atlantic. Writing this book is my way of paying tribute to the pioneers of aviation – men and women from all walks of life – who risked everything: for freedom, for progress, and for us.’
Details
  • Imprint: Penguin
  • ISBN: 9780241992890
  • Length: 599 minutes
  • Price: £13.00
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