About the Author

John North (1934-2008) was professor emeritus at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. He was the author of many books, including The Measure of the Universe: A History of Modern Cosmology, The Ambassadors’ Secret: Holbein and the World of the Renaissance, and, most recently, God’s Clockmaker: Richard Wallingford and the Invention of Time.

Reviews

"The remarkable story of the sustained human endeavour to understand our place in the universe." - Sir Bernard Lovell, author of Pathways to the Universe "A major achievement that trembles on the brink of being a masterpiece....North is well qualified to write this book: he has a lifetime of experience in the history of astronomy and a narrative style that is a pleasure to read." - Desmond King-Hele, author of Erasmus Darwin: A Life of Unequalled Achievement"