Carry on Mr. Bowdich by Jean Lee Latham
Hi my name is Parker and I’m a 7th grader and love reading non-fiction historical books. I also enjoy playing soccer and hanging out with friends.
Carry on Mr. Bowdich is a book written by Jean Lee Latham about a true character in history, Nathaniel Bowdich.
Born in Salem Massachusetts in 1773, Nathan was different from all the other kids. He was brilliant. Although being able to do complex mathematics in his head with ease, he was often made fun of for his short height and scrawny build. At a young age he dreamed of going to Harvard, the best school in the country, but his family was poor. Instead, he got shipped off to be an intern at a ship chandlery called Ropes and Hodges for nine years. By the end of his time there, he would be 21 years old.
Though reluctant, Nathan accepted and started to work the store by day, and study everything he could learn about astronomy and Latin at night. He learned many complex nautical techniques such as taking a lunar (telling where you are on the sea) by looking at the stars. He was so brilliant that he made up new, easier ways to navigate without having to perfectly align with the stars.
In the end, his contributions to astronomy and making the seas safer to travel will always be remembered. For a school book I would recommend this one because it is very interesting and I enjoyed it.
