About Time
A History of Civilization in Twelve Clocks
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About Time
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Narrated by:
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David Rooney
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By:
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David Rooney
About this listen
Brought to you by Penguin.
Since the dawn of civilisation, 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. Sometimes, also with clocks, we have fought back.
In About Time, time expert David Rooney tells the story of timekeeping, and how it continues to shape our modern world. In 12 chapters, demarcated like the hours of time, we meet the greatest inventions in horological history, from medieval water clocks to monumental sundials, and from coastal time signals to satellites in Earth's orbit. We discover how clocks have helped us navigate the world, build empires and even taken us to the brink of destruction.
Over the course of this global journey, Rooney demonstrates how each of these clocks has shone a spotlight onto human civilisation and shows us the very real effects clocks continue to have on everything from capitalism, to politics, to our very identity.
This is the story of timing. And the story of timing is the story of us.
©2021 David Rooney (P)2021 Penguin AudioListeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about About Time
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 15-06-23
A Horological Adventure
I enjoyed this book, which is very well researched, and offers some surprising insights into the history of timekeeping. I learned a lot and it was quite a horological adventure! I struggled a little with the first chapter, which seemed to be a little over dramatic given the subject matter, but stuck with it and was glad I did. The case he makes for the role of timekeeping stacks up to me, but I will admit to being a little sceptical at first, and thought the author was being a bit sensational. He wasn’t, I just had to dial into the story. The narrator does a good job given that he is a writer, and his passion for the subject really comes through - I can see why he chose to read it himself. It is also good to hear a regional accent for once. The author might not gave the silky tones of those who make a living from their vocal chords, but that didn’t detract from the enjoyment of the book for me.
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Mark
- 05-08-22
Fascinating but the narrator spoils it
Just realised it's read by the author. Please don't be so arrogant that you think you should narrate you own book! It sounds like a fascinating story but the stilted, awkward delivery just absolutely kills any interest I have in the title. Sorry, it's going back.
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