Readers today are still fascinated by "Nat," an eighteenth-century nautical wonder and mathematical wizard.

Nathaniel Bowditch grew up in a sailor's world--Salem in the early days, when tall-masted ships from foreign ports crowded the wharves. But Nat didn't promise to have the makings of a sailor; he was too physically small.

Nat may have been slight of build, but no one guessed that he had the persistence and determination to master sea navigation in the days when men sailed only by "log, lead, and lookout." Nat's long hours of study and observation, collected in his famous work, The American Practical Navigator (also known as the "Sailors' Bible"), stunned the sailing community and made him a New England hero.

This is possibly my favorite book that we read during my children's time homeschooling. It's based on history that is really significant and fascinating. ( )

This book is exciting and well written. It is also very inspiring. ( )

I liked this book and so did my 11-year-old. A wonderful bookstore owner in Alexandria told me kids still like it :) and kids who like math LOVE it. Short chapters so easy to read aloud. It is a biography and there are some tragic events--very gently handled, but characters are lost at sea etc. Good story about overcoming disadvantages, using your strengths and sensitive exploration of what it feels like to find math easy and some people difficult to understand. Highly recommended. ( )

I liked this book well enough that on a visit to Salem, MA I made my poor mother walk miles just to see his boyhood home. She had an injured knee at the time but she did it for me. And I've got a picture of the house to keep forever. ( )