Nat the Navigator. A Life of Nathaniel Bowditch. For Young Persons

The biography follows a New England boy who rises from modest beginnings through apprenticeship and long sea voyages to become a self-taught authority in navigation and mathematics. It recounts his studies at sea, journal extracts from voyages, the discovery and correction of errors in navigation texts, and the creation of a practical nautical manual and a major translation of advanced mathematical work. Interwoven with technical achievements are episodes of civic service, modesty, generosity to sailors and students, and recognition by learned societies, concluding with reflections on his later years and death.