Paul Murdin is the Treasurer of the Royal Astronomical Society and Professor of Astronomy at Cambridge University
From the reviews: This book was clearly a labor of love; Murdin has brought his passion for astronomy and its history to a topic which on the surface appears quite apart from this activity. ! The publisher has supported Murdin's effort with a physically appealing, aesthetic work, on high quality paper, complete with lovely diagrams and photographs. ! I recommend it for the general reader. ! For the motivated reader, the effort will be well rewarded with a picaresque journey through a relatively unknown section of scientific history. (Library Thing, May, 2009) The immediate impression of the book is quality ! . Murdin starts the journey with a very brief introduction to the relationship between mapping latitude and longitude and the movement of astronomical bodies such as Jupiter. ! Throughout the entire book, Murdin skillfully balances the technical details mapping techniques and instruments ! . Overall, this book is a handsome, quality, very readable volume that deserves a prominent position in any history of science and engineering. (Library Thing, April, 2009) British astronomer Murdin ! carefully examines the history of the Paris meridian in a work designed to highlight the adventures connected with the performance of what many might see as rather tedious research. ! In a report that stretches over centuries, Murdin is careful to define terms, introduce the important characters, and include many nice illustrations. ! Summing Up: Recommended. General readers. (M.-K. Hemenway, Choice, Vol. 46 (10), June, 2009) This modestly priced volume takes us on three journeys. The first is across the globe ! to discover the true figure of the Earth, and all this amid the turmoil surrounding the French Revolution. ! The second journey is through time, in which the role of the meridian is discussed ! . And finally, we are taken on a journey across Paris, along the meridian ! provided that the book can act as a guide for those wishing to follow the trail for themselves. (David Stickland, The Observatory, Vol. 129 (1213), December, 2009)