From: S. Fondrie <sfondrie>
Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2001 12:06:51 -0600

I just finished both longitude books, and I have to say I enjoyed the version for younger readers much more. Dash's account deals more with Harrison's personality and what drove him to spend most of his long life trying to unlock the secret of longitude, while Sobel's gives more background on the political climate and economic factors. I was particularly impressed by Dash's attention to issues of class and social rank as they impacted the contestants. This is a topic that is much too rare in children's books, and she puts it in human terms students can understand. Harrison was brilliant, but his rural accent and lack of formal education marked him as an outsider in the world of science and politics. Dash's message is a subtle rejoinder to the American cultural metaphor of pulling yourself up by your bootstraps: sometimes it's not enough to be courageous and persistent, when social factors are stacked against you. It's a wonderful story of sheer determination against time and opposition.

Sue Fondrie Graduate Assistant Curriculum & Instruction UW-Madison

Christine Hill wrote:
Received on Thu 15 Mar 2001 12:06:51 PM CST