North Pole, South Pole : The Epic Quest to Solve the Great Mystery of Earth's Magnetism Going all the way back to the Roman legend of a shepherd whose iron-studded boots stuck to the rocks, this book charts the history of the earth's magnetism, which intrigued and stumped scientists and ordinary people for centuries. Absorbing and accessible, it is a lively study of what exactly magnetic force is, what causes it, and what its place has been throughout scientific history, offering detailed insights into the inner workings of the planet and its magnetic shield.