John Harrison, inventor
Mar. 24, 1693-Mar. 24, 1776
The Man Who Made Time Travel by Kathryn Lasky, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes(Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003)
Harrison succeeded in figuring out how to track longitude for ships at sea...after five tries and over thirty-five years. Thank you for your perseverance, Mr Harrison!
The National Maritime Museum dedicates a page to Harrison and the Longitude problem.
Harry Houdini, magician
Mar. 24, 1874-Oct. 31, 1926
Houdini: World’s Greatest Mystery Man and Escape King by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Eric Velasquez (Walker Books for Young Readers, 2005)
Houdini sawed people in half and wrapped himself in chains—all in the name of magic. This biography offers a look inside his life, his challenges and his performances.
Visit the PBS American Experience site about Houdini, The Man Behind the Myth for a timeline, gallery, teacher’s guide and special features.
