Subject: Nathaniel Bowditch (for toplist)
From: "Claude Schochet" <ad5233@wayne.edu>
Date: Mon, 4 Dec 2006 11:45:48 -0500

An English professor here is writing a novel about Bowditch (1773-1838), 
author of the American Practical Navigator, translator of Laplace’s Traité 
de mécanique céleste and, arguably America’s first astronomer and 
mathematician. She gave a talk on him and when I saw the announcement it 
really rang a bell. I remember as a kid reading the novel “Carry on, Mr. 
Bowditch” (published 1955) and I think that book had a lot to do with my 
going into mathematics. I checked with a few of my colleagues and, to my 
surprise some of them had similar experiences. My colleague in English was 
astonished and fascinated by our reaction.


So – I’m wondering how many people on this list remember reading about 
Bowditch as a child or teenager and being strongly influenced by it. 
Please respond directly to me- I don’t want to clutter up Toplist. Thanks 
very much!


Claude Schochet
Mathematics Dept., Wayne State University
claude@math.wayne.edu