THE MAN WHO LOVED CHINA by Simon Winchester

"The Man Who Loved China" by Simon Winchester is the story of Joseph Needham, an eccentric British Scientist who spent years in China researching its closely-held secrets. In the 1940s, he traveled throughout the war-torn country seeking far-flung places that would shed light on China's extraordinary inventions....many of which pre-dated those of the Western world.

He found evidence that the Chinese were responsible for many of mankind's impressive innovations such as multicolor printing, seismographs, fertilizers, magnetic needle compasses, paddle-wheel boats, suspension bridges and much much more.

Needham, somewhat of a free spirit, was also a disciplined researcher. He wrote 17 immense volumes (Science and Civilization in China) cataloging China's impressive inventions.