THE metric system was born of the French revolution, but though Napoleon lauded it, he did not use it himself and predicted it would be a stumbling block for generations. Warwick Cairns, in his deliciously ironic history of traditional measurements, agrees. He maintains that while the International System of Units is vital to science, everyday measures for length, volume and weight should relate to the “dimensions, appetites and purposes of ordinary people”. After 10 years conducting opinion polls, he really does know what we think.
About the Size of It
Macmillan
