Jean Lee Latham (1902–1995)

“Mathematics is nothing if it isn’t correct! Men’s lives depend on those figures!”

Nathaniel Bowditch utters these words almost in rage in this biography of his life. Nat is a nerd - a genius with numbers - and he revolutionized navigation in the late 18th century - eventually writing The American Practical Navigator - which became THE book for sailors and saved a lot of them from shipwreck.

It's historical fiction written for teenagers - but I found it utterly refreshing reading show more about this self taught mathematical wizard. Couldn't put the book down and read it mostly in one day.

His father couldn't afford to send him to Harvard - his big dream - so he's placed in indentured service as a bookkeeper for nine years. But nothing could stop Nat's thirst for knowledge. There's something immensely satisfying reading about Bowditch's drive and determination - and the thrill of excitement as he discovers language and science. A good friend gives him Newton's Principia Mathematica - but it's in Latin, so he studies latin to read it - same with a french book - it all eventually lead to his mission in life: Correcting the navigational tables, writing the book and teach sailors on board the ship so they themselves can find their way at sea.

His personal life is filled with both love and marriage but also tragedy when several people dear to him dies at an early stage of his life. The fact of life in a seatown as Salem in those days (also as war is raging)

As YA-historical fiction this is hard to top. It was awarded the Newbery Medal in 1956. show less

I actually had picked up the storytape fo Bowditch for my blind son, so first I played the tape when we both could listen, figuring I would follow along in the book to see how they matched. Well, the tape was a great enactment of the condensed story (why it could fit on a single tape) but I think I liked the full book just as well.
Latham gives us full flavor of life in 1700's New England. Nathaniel is forced to become an apprentice because his family is too poor to allow him to continue in show more school. Fortunately his master is good-hearted--or perhaps just sees an advantage in encouraging Nathaniel's intelligence. We learn shipping terms along with Nathaniel. We see him being persistent in the face of adversity. He finally gets a chance to go on a shipping voyage. There is excitement & danger. He is fascinated by all he learns, & shares his love of learning w/other crew members which helps them get ahead in life. He's so smart & obsessive about math that he develops a more precise way to navigate. So there is a good moral to this story tho it never shoves it in your face. Definitely a book to pass on to boys.
2011 review show less

Growing up in Salem in the young United States, Nathaniel Bowditch is fantastic at figures but indentured at a young age. Instead of fulfilling his dream to go to Harvard, he must "sail by ash breeze" and teach himself everything he wants to learn.

I first read this Newbery award-winning book for school, and I loved it enough to read it multiple times afterwards. I haven't read it since childhood, however, so it was interesting to reread with an adult's eyes. I loved Nat and his notebooks as show more he learned new things, and I can relate to his desire to have the answers be right. On this reread, I found that as an adult I understood the conversations between characters - what's left unsaid - much more fully, and I'm not just talking about the vague references to salty language! I also had not picked up on how the author takes pains to use short sentences and, if not explaining something outright in the narrative, has characters explain some things about sailing or navigation so that children readers would be able to follow along. This last fact is the main reason I wouldn't bother to reread this book again (except, perhaps, as a read-aloud to young children), but I will be looking for another biography to read on Nathaniel Bowditch. show less

I'm impressed by the young Mr. Bowditch's ingenuity and courage, as portrayed in Jean Lee Latham's vivid retelling of his story. You'll find plenty of adventure, color, and hard work.