The Story of the Clock

The authors of the 'Yesterday and Today Series,' Messrs. George Shahla and Shafiq Juha, are still bringing out this delightful historical series.

We noted in past issues the appearance of 'The Story of the Alphabet' and 'The Story of Numerals,' and here today is 'The Story of the Clock.'

The story of the clock is strange and wondrous, like the clock itself. It is in truth the story of man, from the day man began to know the value of time; and you will no doubt admire this man who began by harnessing the sun to tell the time, then went on to harness the animal, then fire, then water... until there came the clock man knows today, in its beauty and the precision and perfection of its workmanship.

The authors follow the history of the clock among all peoples from the dawn of history — from India, to Babylon, to China, to Egypt, to Greece, to the Arabs... down to the modern age. And the authors point out that the Arabs were the first to invent mechanical clocks, which the Franks then took from them.

This story is written in an easy, attractive style, within reach of all classes; its printing is elegant and graceful, with much taste and art in it, and the drawings smooth away many of the technical difficulties that would be hard for the reader to grasp. There is no doubt that the 'Yesterday and Today Series,' whose arrangement and printing our friend Mr. Shafiq Juha supervises, is the best that can be given to the public, in all its classes, in the way of historical and cultural reading. And as we await 'The Story of Flight,' which will appear shortly, we cannot but praise this delightful cultural effort.