A review by janmase
Exactly: How Precision Engineers Created the Modern World by Simon Winchester

2.0

What would otherwise be an interesting read, full of factoids and marginalia, is ruined by two things: the author's writing style, which could be described as pleonastic, garrulous, verbose, or periphrasic (take your pick); and his absurd, fumbling attempts to moralise on the nature of precision ("are we being too precise??!?!").

Also, on several occasions I noted explanations that were simplified to the point of being actually incorrect, so I expect that most of the book plays fast and loose with the truth in pursuit of a 'good' narrative.