THE EXTRAORDINARY TALE OF THE FATHER OF MODERN GEOLOGY

Hidden behind velvet curtains above a stairway in a house in London's Piccadilly is an enormous and beautiful hand-coloured map - the first geological map of anywhere in the world. Its maker was a farmer's son named William Smith. Born in 1769, his life was troubled: he was imprisoned for debt, turned out of his home, his work was plagiarised, his wife went insane and the scientific establishment shunned him.

It was not until 1829, when a Yorkshire aristocrat recognised his genius, that he was returned to London in triumph: The Map That Changed the World is his story.

For a geologist, this is a must read - Amazon Reviewer

It serves to lift a genius from academic semi-obscurity and to award him the acknowledgement he undoubtedly deserves - Amazon Reviewer

Never realised how seminal this map was - Amazon Reviewer

Pages: 352, Dimensions: 13x13cm