Finding Your Way Without Map or Compass
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Finding Your Way Without Map or Compass Paperback – December 23, 1998
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
140 of 143 people found the following review helpful
By
Sailing Triathlete
on June 1, 2006
Format: Paperback
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This book is an example of why books are great. The knowledge contained in it would be largely lost or very difficult to compile had hte author not taken the time to publish it. He spent his life learning various methods of navigation around the world from many cultures: cultures not assimilated to the modern or western world.
I've always thought it would be fascinating to learn navigation or tracking from a native or someone who has learned information that has been passed down from generation to generation. Low tech, but very skillful. Art more than science. That is exactly what this book teaches.
The most interesting part for me was the explanation of how Polynesians navigated at sea: following migrating birds, seeing land beyond the horizon by watching reflections on the bottom of clouds, wave variation, and star positions.
There is a lot of good information for both land and sea, plus some for air. The author taught naviation to the US Air Force about the middle of the 20th century.
I've always thought it would be fascinating to learn navigation or tracking from a native or someone who has learned information that has been passed down from generation to generation. Low tech, but very skillful. Art more than science. That is exactly what this book teaches.
The most interesting part for me was the explanation of how Polynesians navigated at sea: following migrating birds, seeing land beyond the horizon by watching reflections on the bottom of clouds, wave variation, and star positions.
There is a lot of good information for both land and sea, plus some for air. The author taught naviation to the US Air Force about the middle of the 20th century.
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97 of 101 people found the following review helpful
By
P. Leijonhufvud
on July 3, 2000
Format: Paperback
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This book is a reprint of a classic. The author describes tested methods for finding your way using natural signs rather than map and compass. The methods covered range from the usual -- such as stars, the sun and trees -- to less common ones such as the routes of migratory sea birds or seasonal winds.
If you are travelling in the wilderness (or city; there is even a chapter on how to find your way in a strange city), I strongly recommend this book.
If you are travelling in the wilderness (or city; there is even a chapter on how to find your way in a strange city), I strongly recommend this book.
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64 of 67 people found the following review helpful
By
Wandering Heart
on March 30, 2008
Format: Paperback
3 Comments
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The title alone should pique your interest! It did for me and once I started reading it I wasn't disappointed. This was a well written and truly informative piece of work. Harold Gatty was well known amongst the pioneers of aviation for his expert navigation skills. Gatty navigated many cross country and cross continental flights, and his expertise was often sought after by pilots such as Charles Lindbergh, Wiley Post, and Howard Hughes.
In this book Gatty puts together his broad knowledge of simple navigation techniques used by some of the earliest settlers such as the Vikings, Polynesians, Portuguese, Native Americans and Aborigines. The author does a great job of creating an informative book and conveying it in an interesting way so that it isn't dry. You never know when this information might come in useful, plus you gain a greater appreciation for nature.
In this book Gatty puts together his broad knowledge of simple navigation techniques used by some of the earliest settlers such as the Vikings, Polynesians, Portuguese, Native Americans and Aborigines. The author does a great job of creating an informative book and conveying it in an interesting way so that it isn't dry. You never know when this information might come in useful, plus you gain a greater appreciation for nature.
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28 of 29 people found the following review helpful
By
Red
on October 30, 2011
Format: Paperback
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To review what I like about this book would go on and on. Basically the description covers all you need to really know about what's in it. It's all very illuminating... when you think you know quite a bit it turns out you probably don't. There's so much I learned from this book, and I was in the US Navy. They didn't cover a fraction of this in bootcamp. Even later on when I was in the Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist program, which encompasses a supreme amount of navigation knowledge, they barely even touched on but a few of these methods. It's a shame... I wish this was a mandatory read for my shipmates and I.
I did however find it a wee bit frustrating to read. I've never read a book that beats a dead horse so badly. Halfway through the book I felt that if I read one more word about how 'there's no sixth sense' I was going to burn it. There's even a whole chapter based on it... and this isn't the only point he beats to death either. He's very long-winded when it comes to describing things, for example, here he lists things a person can hear of the land while he is offshore (as if we didn't already know): "He can listen to the sound of chopping, sawmills, church bells, whistles, to the rumble of trains and other industrial and highway noises, to the lowing of cattle, the crowing or cackling of poultry, the bleating of sheep, to waterfalls and rapids or the sea's surf". --now, tell me that couldn't have been shortened a bit. Ugh!
He also tends to give way too many examples from the pages of history or his own experience. While this is pretty informative and sometimes appreciated, it's not the most useful information... like I don't need you to prove what you just said; I believe you, man.Read more ›
I did however find it a wee bit frustrating to read. I've never read a book that beats a dead horse so badly. Halfway through the book I felt that if I read one more word about how 'there's no sixth sense' I was going to burn it. There's even a whole chapter based on it... and this isn't the only point he beats to death either. He's very long-winded when it comes to describing things, for example, here he lists things a person can hear of the land while he is offshore (as if we didn't already know): "He can listen to the sound of chopping, sawmills, church bells, whistles, to the rumble of trains and other industrial and highway noises, to the lowing of cattle, the crowing or cackling of poultry, the bleating of sheep, to waterfalls and rapids or the sea's surf". --now, tell me that couldn't have been shortened a bit. Ugh!
He also tends to give way too many examples from the pages of history or his own experience. While this is pretty informative and sometimes appreciated, it's not the most useful information... like I don't need you to prove what you just said; I believe you, man.Read more ›
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22 of 23 people found the following review helpful
By
Amazon Customer
TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE VOICE on November 17, 2010
Format: Paperback
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5 Comments
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The author of this book died in 1957 but the estate of Harold Gatty chose to publish this guide. In my opinion, this was a wise decision as this is an absolutely phenomenal book.
The author, who was an accomplished navigator, describes how to use the wind, sky, clouds, sun, shadows, reflection in the sky, trees, animals, termite mounds, etc. to determine direction (north, south, east, or west). Also, he makes it clear that no part of the world is without signals--whether it be desert, the Arctic, the sea, Antarctica, etc. It is clear that we as a society have lost our quick ability to observe what nature is telling us. This is not a "how to" book; instead the author explains through stories and examples of how previous explorers found their way and how he has done so as well.
In addition to using natural surroundings, he also describes how to navigate your way through towns and cities by determining direction based on the way a house was placed or where the kitchen is. The reason you can do this is that certain regions face their houses toward the sun or toward the wind - it depends on the place.
Of course, this book will only guide you and it is not designed to be your only reference source as the observer must learn the prevailing details associated with their area, such as from which way the prevailing winds blow, before they can be a successful navigator. Mr. Gatty ecouranges you to pay attention to your surroundings and to pick out directional details from everything in your environment (including insects or houses). In a beginning example in the book, he describes how he can tell where a picture was taken, at what time of day, and which direction the house is facing.Read more ›
The author, who was an accomplished navigator, describes how to use the wind, sky, clouds, sun, shadows, reflection in the sky, trees, animals, termite mounds, etc. to determine direction (north, south, east, or west). Also, he makes it clear that no part of the world is without signals--whether it be desert, the Arctic, the sea, Antarctica, etc. It is clear that we as a society have lost our quick ability to observe what nature is telling us. This is not a "how to" book; instead the author explains through stories and examples of how previous explorers found their way and how he has done so as well.
In addition to using natural surroundings, he also describes how to navigate your way through towns and cities by determining direction based on the way a house was placed or where the kitchen is. The reason you can do this is that certain regions face their houses toward the sun or toward the wind - it depends on the place.
Of course, this book will only guide you and it is not designed to be your only reference source as the observer must learn the prevailing details associated with their area, such as from which way the prevailing winds blow, before they can be a successful navigator. Mr. Gatty ecouranges you to pay attention to your surroundings and to pick out directional details from everything in your environment (including insects or houses). In a beginning example in the book, he describes how he can tell where a picture was taken, at what time of day, and which direction the house is facing.Read more ›
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