Navigation/geometry textbook based on Alice in Wonderland

In 1961, a Cambridge don who'd taught navigation to cadets in WWII published an homage to Alice in Wonderland that used the book to illustrate concepts in navigation and geometry. The book, called "Navigation with Alice," was illustrated with fantastic replicas of the original Tenniel illos, recast to accompany the lessons (Anne Scarisbrick, the illustrator, was only 16 when she drew them!).

Frank Debenham was a Cambridge don who, during World War II found himself teaching navigation to young cadets, eager to learn but frustrated that the lack of materials meant that they could only learn principles in abstract terms without being able to properly put them into practice. To this end Debenham began to relate many of his teaching practises back to the varied characters in Alice in Wonderland, something he could be reasonably sure that cadets would have heard of, and if not, that they would be more likely to engage with, hence the book where we find Alice dancing Latitude Quadrilles with the Mock-Turtle, debating the markings on globes with the Dodo and learning about the use of altitude and horizons in a protracted smoking session with the Caterpillar.

Alice's Many Adventures - Part the Second (Thanks, Erik!)

[#1 posted by Anonymous , December 12, 2008 10:40 AM]

I just ordered myself a copy off of Abebooks. There are at least a handful of them going for $20 when you add shopping.

[#2 posted by Daemon , December 12, 2008 11:42 AM]

Hmm. I wonder if this is the origin of the urban legend regarding Carrol and the Queen.

Purportedly, after writing Alice, the Queen requested a copy of his next book, which turned out to be a math text...

While not written by Carrol, it's Alice, and I can see how the existance of it could be misremembered into that particular story.

[#3 posted by js7a , December 13, 2008 1:30 AM]

I wish spherical trigonometry was still taught. It used to be the foundation of navigation, but since the days of LORAN, GPS, GLONASS, etc., who needs it?

Spherical trig gets people a handle on the quaternion math of rotations, which are fundamental geometric operations affecting everyday life in a lot of ways. If people were more equipped to handle rotation math, I have a feeling we'd see a lot of solutions to a bunch of robotics, civil engineering, mechanical, and other problems.

[#4 posted by bklynchris , December 13, 2008 7:08 AM]

ok cory, I am sorry....this is a way cool post