About Time: A History of Civilization in Twelve Clocks

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This captivating history explores the evolution of timekeeping and its profound impact on civilization. For millennia, various cultures have created clocks, from ancient Rome's sundials to medieval China's water clocks, and from hourglasses that sparked revolutions to the precise GPS satellites launched since 1978. Clocks have been instrumental in navigation, empire-building, and even near-catastrophes. They have empowered elites to control lives and govern societies, while also serving as tools for resistance. Through twelve significant clocks, the narrative vividly recounts pivotal moments in history. Historian David Rooney takes readers from the unveiling of al-Jazari's castle clock in 1206 Turkey to the Cape of Good Hope observatory, where British astronomers influenced imperial power with a time ball and a gun. He also discusses a plutonium clock buried in Osaka, designed to keep time for 5,000 years. Rooney illustrates how time has been imagined, politicized, and weaponized throughout the ages, suggesting that the technical history of horology is just the beginning. Ultimately, the story of clocks reflects the broader narrative of human civilization.