Book Log 2007 #15: The Map that Changed the World by Simon Winchester

Perhaps best known here for his book Krakatoa, here Winchester tells the story of William Smith, whose interest in rock strata led him to create the world's first geological map and helped to found the modern science of geology. A working man, he did much of his work as a side project while building canals or on his own after a rather spectacular fall from grace.

The science in this book is ably supported by its parts on religion (and how Smith's work changed the popular Biblical view of the world's origin) and biography (though I would have liked more personal information about Smith). It can drag a bit - there's a center chapter about a period of Winchester's life as a child which isn't as useful to the overall narrative as I think he believes it is - but it's a decent read, especially if you're interested in geology or the history of science.