Beyond Measure

The Hidden History of Measurement from Cubits to Quantum Constants

By: James Vincent

Narrated by: James Vincent

A vibrant account of how measurement has invisibly shaped our world, from ancient civilizations to the modern day.

From the cubit to the kilogram, the humble inch to the speed of light, measurement is a powerful tool that humans invented to make sense of the world. In this revelatory work of science and social history, James Vincent dives into its hidden world, taking listeners from ancient Egypt, where measuring the annual depth of the Nile was an essential task, to the intellectual origins of the metric system in the French Revolution, and from the surprisingly animated rivalry between metric and imperial, to our current age of the "quantified self." At every turn, Vincent is keenly attuned to the political consequences of measurement, exploring how it has also been used as a tool for oppression and control.

Beyond Measure reveals how measurement is not only deeply entwined with our experience of the world, but also how its history encompasses and shapes the human quest for knowledge.

©2023 James Vincent (P)2022 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Went on and on

For me, too much detail. I enjoyed the first half of the book and then it kept going…

History of metrology

History of metrology was interesting but the conclusion and final chapters were judgmental and only loosely connected.

Great book!

I learned a lot & had a great time doing it. When I was doing my year abroad at University of Sussex in Brighton, UK, I met up with James Vincent & his partner at the time, both friends of mine. We had a great time, although it is the only time in my life that I have ever had a hangover. A great thing about this book is, fun as it is, there is no hangover afterward.

An enjoyable meter of history

I'm a huge fan of exploring the obscure corners of our history. At first glance most would see the topic of metrology & run in the other direction out of fear of dry content. James keeps the content insightful & entertaining through the course of the book. My only issue is with the recording. The author does a superb delivery, however, the ends of chapters 4 & 9 are clipped; resulting in an incomplete thought.

Impressive Cultural Deepthinking About Measurement

Much better than anticipated since it covers the development of ideas of measurement over history to help development a current understanding of modern surveillance systems.