MAP THAT CHANGED THE WORLD (PB)

The extraordinary tale of the father of modern geology whose breakthrough made in the late 1700's became not just the science of geology but also provided the basis that helped Charles Darwin formulate his ideas. 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. This fascinating account follows his struggle and reveals that it was not until 1829 that a more enlightened society recognised his genius, and, in his old age, he was returned to London in triumph.