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Автор: Simon Winchester
Читает Simon Winchester
From the author of the bestselling The Professor and the Madman comes the fascinating story of the father of modern geology
In 1793, William Smith, the orphan son of a village blacksmith, made a startling discovery that was to turn the science of geology on its head. While surveying the route for a canal near Bath, he noticed that the fossils found in one layer of the rocks he was excavating were very different from those found in another. And out of that realization came an epiphany: that by following these fossils one could trace layers of rocks as they dipped, rose and fell -- clear across England and clear across the world.
Obsessed with creating a map that would showcase his discovery, Smith spent the next twenty years traveling England alone, studying rock outcroppings and gathering information. In 1815 he published a hand-painted map more than eight feet tall and six feet wide. But four years later, swindled out of his profits, Smith ended up in debtors' prison. His wife went mad. He lived as a homeless man for ten long years.
Eventually a kindly aristocrat discovered him; Smith, the quiet genius and 'father of geology' was brought back to London and showered with the honors that he rightly deserved. Here now is his astounding story.
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Издатель: HarperAudioИздано: Jan 13, 2004ISBN: 9780060746070Формат: audiobook
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eilonwy_anneGo to eilonwy_anne's profile
I am a big fan of Simon Winchester's books in general, but this one I found less enjoyable than his others. I seemed to detect occasional inaccuracies ("bird progenitor pterodactyl"? What?) or oversimplifications (sedimentation can't occur without an ocean?) which bothered me, as well as a certain habit of repetition. I am not sure these flaws were more pronounced here so much as his usual sterling qualities had less range for expression.This is, after all, a fairly straightforward story. Though William Smith's accomplishments shaped the history of geology, his life and career are fashioned on the scale of the personal, the regional. Where Winchester has excelled, in A Crack in the Edge of the World and Krakatoa, in tracking down scores of accounts and sources and using them to fashion a multi-faceted portrait of vast cataclysm, here he has a smaller canvas to paint. He has fewer sources -- Smith's papers and abortive autobiography, his nephew's biography of him -- as well. There is less here for Winchester to thoroughly investigate and vividly imagine for us, and less surprise. Smith's ill fortune and lack of recognition is hardly startling, since it fits into a pattern in the history of the sciences in Britain, as Winchester notes.I'm glad Winchester wrote this book. It's unfair that Smith's posterity should be confined to those who took Sedimentology and Stratigraphy courses in college, and I was glad to learn more about him than the single day's lecture I remember from that class. It was edifying, well-written and interesting. However, I feel it could have been pruned quite a bit.Notes on the audiobook: The author narrated his own book, and did it admirably. His accents for quotes -- notably Smith's own Oxfordshire -- were lovely.
eye_gee-1Go to eye_gee-1's profile
It's hard to imagine a time (not so long ago) when virtually everyone believed the world was created just as explained in the Bible. William Smith, a surveyor, was the first to recognize that the patterns he observed in the earth -- the layers of soil and the fossils found in them -- represented a history. His crowning achievement was a map of England that plots the geography of the country. His life was a series of ups and downs that read like a novel. He was not high-born, but he became a friend and colleague of many members of upper class society as a result of his knowledge and understanding of the natural world. A great read for anyone interested in history or geography.
m.belljacksonGo to m.belljackson's profile
Skipping over the repetitious foreshadowing of William Smith's decline, [The Map That Changed the World] reads like a lively historical novel.Further enhancing its appeal are the beautifully rendered drawings of Smith's beloved Jurassic ammonites. Ah, for a fold-out map!Simon Winchester covers the basics of British late 18th century life, with the strange omission of the horrors of colonization and slavery.
robrod1_1Go to robrod1_1's profile
I really enjoyed this little book about the ups and downs of the life of British geoloogist William Smith. He invented stratigraphy, and his genius was not rewarded until later in life. At times Mr. Winchester's portrayal of William Smith became a little boring, but at other times the writing was fluid and robust. If you like history and biographies this is a terrific book to read. I liked it, so will you.
rakerman_1Go to rakerman_1's profile
Fascinating exploration of geological history.
charlie68_1Go to charlie68_1's profile
More a story of William Smith than of his map, which was interesting, the rise and fall and rise again. As for the science of geology it wasn't too dry enough for the layman to digest without going overboard.
victoriajzGo to victoriajz's profile
Very interesting book about a topic I know little about, but now much more. The usual excellent Simon Winchester exploration of a person's background and what he/she did to impact the world, even though most of us know nothing about the person, before the book. The audiobook was read by Winchester & he did a pretty good job using distinctive voices for the people's words. Not a favorite of his books, but certainly worth reading and learning about the topic of geology.
lissabeth21Go to lissabeth21's profile
I was completely enthralled by the personal histories that were inextricably linked to this story. These people, obviously and most notably William Smith, leaped out of this narrative in such a wonderful way.
dinadansfriendGo to dinadansfriend's profile
A readable and illustrated accounft of the life of William Smith, who established Geology as a science. Straddling the eighteenth and nineteenth century, this relatively unlettered man worked all his life to set the boundaries of what we now regard as scientific geology. Beginning with the stratigraphy of a local coal mine, he finally mapped all the major features of British geology dating back to the Carboniferous. In spite of the resistance of the more aristocratic dilettantes of the day, his plan for the science had triumphed by the 1820's. Simon winchester has created a very lively and informative biography in the man's historical context.
yvonne.sevignykaiserGo to yvonne.sevignykaiser's profile
After reading and enjoying Professor and the Madmen I had high expectations. Interesting at times but got bogged down by the science. Glad to have the glossary which I had to refer to quite a bit, the maps and charts were also very helpful in understanding what I was reading. If you are looking for a more technical book on Geology this is for you but if you were looking for a smoother read like the Professor and the Madman you will most likely be disappointed. Just a note this was our non-fiction book club selection for our library reading group.
jjmcgaffeyGo to jjmcgaffey's profile
Not terrible, but not wonderful either. The first few chapters have a great deal of Winchester saying "Oh look, here's the guy who's going to/did change the world! Isn't he wonderful!", then going back to trying to set the scene - not just Smith's early life, but the way of thinking and understanding the world that formed the background of his life. The Great Flood wasn't just a religious concept, it was simple fact - the way things happened, the thing that made the world - for instance. I found that scene-setting impaired, not helped, by Winchester explaining things that Smith saw and was the first to understand in terms of what we know now, long after that first inspiration. The real problem is that there is very little documentation of Smith - his own diary is most of what Winchester had to work with, for all but the last few years of his life. And the diary is written to remind Smith what was going on, not as a record for posterity. Winchester had to do a _lot_ of padding to get a book out of this skimpy data, and unfortunately it shows. There's also the fact that while Smith suffered greatly from prejudice and disdain, he also brought a great deal of his troubles on himself, by overspending and overpromising. When people have subscribed to receive a book, they expect to get a book, not promises and silence... All that aside, it's an interesting presentation of a major shift in understanding (ok, 'paradigm shift'), triggered by one man who seemed to excel at actually looking at what was in front of him and integrating it into a complete structure. Others either found facts to support pet theories, or merely looked at the pretty things and didn't theorize at all, and therefore came to no conclusions about the relations of one type of rock to another. I'd love to go see that map, sometime. But the book is too annoying to be interesting - between Winchester's padding and Smith's sad-sackness, I'm glad I read it and I'm glad I don't ever have to read it again.
helenliz_1Go to helenliz_1's profile
This is a nice pacy factual book that kept me occupied during 2 flights (no easy thing - not a happy flyer). It's one of those classic 18th century tales where there's science, religion, class, prejudice money and, out of the mess and shambles comes something that is really mind blowing. William Smith produced the first geological survey of the UK. All by himself. And a small version is reproduced on the inside front cover and it's a real thing of beauty - the colour, shading and texture is fabulous, as well as being remarkably similar to the British Geological Survey's edition of the 1990s that graces the rear cover. It's set during that great upheaval in science, when Britain finally moved from being a medieval belief led society to one that valued science, facts, precision, deduction and started wanting to ask questions of the natural world. this is one example. It was driven by his being involved in the coal mining industry, then in the routing and digging of a canal through Somerset. What he'd seen by the vertical descent into the ground of the mines was reinforced by what he'd seen in the cut made across miles of Somerset - the rocks beneath our feet are different, but predictably different in different places. It's got it's fair share of trials and tribulations, and the class system comes in for a fair old (and entirely justified) bashing, but Smith doesn't always seem to be the most astute of individuals. Even so, it's nice to see that he did finally get the recognition he deserved in his lifetime - even if he seems to have been largely forgotten since. Simon Winchester does write a good story, as well as managing to get some facts to stick in your brain at the same time. I thought this was a good read.
dorritt_1Go to dorritt_1's profile
The author does a creditable job of creating an entertaining read, given the dearth of historical records and William Smith's largely unexceptional life. Alas (at least for narrative purposes), Smith wasn't one of those fascinating dilitantes of the 18th/19th century who managed to dabble in science, arts, literature, politics, and philosophy, all while managing an extravagent estate. Smith was obsessed with just one thing - geology/paleontology - but what he did, he did exceptionally well. His geologic map of the U.K. - the first geological map ever endeavored, remarkable accurate for its time - may not have changed the world on its own, but his theories on stratographic deposition - especially when combined with Darwin's insights into natural selection - definitely contributed to a continental shift (pun intended) in how future generations came to regard natural science. Up until Smith's work at the beginning of the 19th century, it appears no one had bothered to question why the Earth beneath our feet seemed to be layed down in layers, why some of those layers contained coal while others didn't, nor why some of those layers seemed to contain fossils of sea life even though they were located far inland. Primarily this is because, at that time, people were busier trying (with uneven success) to fit observed facts into the Biblical account of Earth's genesis rather than visa versa.Smith's work as a coal miner and drainage engineer placed him in the ideal position - geographically and historically - to start piecing together the puzzle that laid the foundation for a more scientific approach to geological time and Earth's origins. All was not science and glory for Mr. Smith, however - partly due to the jealousy of rivals, partly due to bad luck, partly due - even the author admits - to Smith's own deficits. The man was an poor communicator, vain, spendthrift, and a terrible procrastinator, who also appears to have married unwisely and to have made a series of inexplicably reckless decisions that eventually led to disgrace and bankrupcy. Never fear - the story has a happy ending! Towards the end of his life Smith's reputation was salvaged and today the "Father of English Geology" occupies his rightful place in the pantheon of geology gods. I agree that the story is a thin one, made even thinner by the fact that Smith appears to have been an inconsistent, unreliable journalist and there's a dearth of 3rd person accounts to corroborate or enrich Smith's sparse narrative. For instance, I'm still not sure whether his fascination with geology was merely the result of intellectual curiosity or more of an obsession/compulsion; I'm not clear whether he was socially adept or a social disaster(different anecdotes seem to come down on different sides); it's not clear to what extent Smith reconciled (or failed to reconcile) his findings with extant beliefs re. Earth's history; and Winchester's such a Smith fanboy that I can't shake the feeling he may have omitted information/analysis that would have shed a less favorable light on our reticent protagonist.Having said that, I give Winchester props for making this story of geological exploration broad, engaging and accessible. If the author's portrait of Smith isn't quite complete, at least I gained interesting insights into British history, the geology of the U.K., the state of scientific discovery in the late 1700s/early 1800s, and debtor's prisons. His descriptions of geological phenomenon are simple and lucid (though a few more charts/graphs might have been useful). And if Winchester's heavy use of foreshadowing does sometimes confuse the chronology, at least it keeps you turning pages right up until the end. Perhaps not a great book, but I definitely don't regret the time I spent in Mr. Smith's company, and hope one day to be able to visit his great map at the headquarters of the Geological Society in London on the strength of this amiable tale.
2wondery_1Go to 2wondery_1's profile
Can you say "ax to grind"? Winchester repeats several mantras in the first few chapters ad nauseum. His anti-religious spin finally got to be too much. It wasn't worth my time. It appears that the story is just not well documented enough for his oh-so-thorough treatment.
toniryGo to toniry's profile
Eye-opening for me. All in a work of a single individual - W. Smith
librisissimoGo to librisissimo's profile
The subject was quite interesting, and a topic I was not at all familiar with.However, the author was rambling, recursive, redundant, repetitive, and kept trying to "build suspense" with a muddled chronology.
pussrebootsGo to pussreboots's profile
It was a very enjoyable and easy read. There are parts scattered throughout the book where the author tends to ramble and wander onto tangents. The book would have been stronger and tighter if the author had stayed on topic. The line drawings peppered through the book add a nice bit of visual detail but I would have liked to have seen even more of them used.
vguy_6Go to vguy_6's profile
Enjoyable account of the cruelly neglected, even insulted, pioneer of geology. Winchester also enjoys his own exploration of the geological features he explores. i never knew oolite could be so delightful. The sense of a hidden world (the strata beneath) and the oppressive society of early 19th C England are well portrayed. And the poor lonely man with his mad, possibly nymphomaniac wife - and despite the book, he's still an unknown. and yet people like faraday and Davy (who he brushes elbows with) were also sons of soil and toil who won recognition and are even now household names. Is Winchester overstating his case? My contextual knowledge of the history of geoscience is not up to judging that
geoffhabigerGo to geoffhabiger's profile
The Map that Changed the World: William Smith and the Birth of Modern Geology is a wonderful biography of William Smith's life. Simon Winchester takes the reader on an extraordinary journey through William Smith's life. Despite my own interest and background in geology, my first impression on hearing about Simon Winchester's book was one of, "why bother". Geologic maps are second nature to me, and I never really gave them a second thought. I find them beautiful to behold and very practical and I've even participated in creating geologic maps not only on Earth, but on Mars as well, but I never gave thought to the history of this invaluable geologic tool. Simon Winchester changed my mind. In recounting William Smith's struggle to create his first geologic map he brings to life a man who was before his time and who was cruelly ignored and plagiarized by his supposed peers. Winchester's style is fluid and dynamic, interspersing narrative on William Smith's life with excerpts from Smith's diary entries and notes, making the book a delightful read. Not only did I learn about William Smith the man and the scientist, but I also learned a lot about the late 18th and early 19th century when William Smith lived. My only complaint is the jumps Winchester takes the reader on through the life of Smith. While most of the book is fairly linear, following Smith's life from boyhood in Oxfordshire to his adulthood and work in Bath, London, and finally his self-imposed exile to northern England, there are places where Winchester seems to be getting ahead of himself. At several places Winchester jumps ahead then backtracks, seemingly heading off on a tangent then remembering to get back to Smith and his life. William Smith was not a perfect man, and Winchester does a wonderful job of bringing to light Smith's difficulties and problems, many of which directly or indirectly hindered his ambitious project to map the geology of England, Wales, and part of Scotland. (At one point Smith was placed in prison for failing to pay off his debts.) Smith often struggled to create his map while working as a freelance surveyor and drainage engineer, traveling across England often at his own expense to collect the fossils and map the strata. But despite these difficulties Smith endured and completed his ambitious project single-handedly. Smith's map was a phenomenal accomplishment, measuring over eight feet by six feet in size. Winchester's account of Smith's struggle, the highs and lows of his life, to create this masterpiece is a wonderful testament to Smith's contribution to the science of geology. Along with the story of Smith's life, Winchester also provides a copy of the map (albeit in a smaller form) as part of the dust cover of the book (in hardback editions). The book is also illustrated with maps, fossils, and various locations that were prominent in Smith's life. There is a simple glossary and an extensive bibliography to assist the reader unfamiliar with certain terms or who is interested in reading further into Smith's story. I recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about the science of geology and about the life and times of the man who has been named "The Father of English Geology". It is a delight to read and I found it informative and entertaining
nhulam000Go to nhulam000's profile
ajbraithwaite_1Go to ajbraithwaite_1's profile
A fascinating biography of 'Strata' Smith and his work in establishing the science of geology. The interactions of his supporters and his detractors made for interesting reading: the contrast between the snobbish fossil-collectors who found Smith's practical approach too workmanlike for their taste and the true scientists who recognised the worth of the man and his discoveries was striking.On reading the acknowledgements, I did feel a bit sorry for Hugh Torrens, the professor who is writing a scholarly work on William Smith's life and who provided a lot of information to Simon Winchester write this one. It felt to me as though the plundering of ideas which affected Smith is being repeated here. But perhaps I'm being unkind...
missizicksGo to missizicks's profile
It's very rare that this happens, because I'm a stubborn reader, but I had to abandon this book halfway through. The writing style is irritatingly journalistic. The author lacks the imagination to fill in the blanks in the historical record with any sympathy or sense of William Smith's personality. His use of footnotes is also an irritant. I was looking forward to finding out about the "Father of Geology" but by halfway through the book I knew little about him, I wasn't engaged with the story, and I was put off persevering by the author's prejudices and presumptions. A really disappointing book.
hcubicGo to hcubic's profile
If the name "Simon Winchester" sounds familiar, it is probably because of his recent bestseller, "The Professor and the Madman", the history of how the Oxford English Dictionary was originally compiled. It is supposed to be very good, but I haven't had a chance to read it myself yet. However, my experience with "The Map..." strongly inclines me toward reading that other one as well. Mr. Winchester does an excellent job of bringing to life not only the obsession of William Smith to publish a lifetime of work in the first geological map of England, but also the milieu in which he worked. Perhaps Winchester slightly exaggerates the singularity of his main character, and gives him a bit more credit than he deserves, for putting together ideas that had been going through the minds of others of the time. But there is no minimizing his painstaking effort to gather the data that would constitute his opus. This is a book that makes the relatively slow-moving science of geology come to life.
cheriloveGo to cherilove's profile
Deadly. Subject matter could easily have been covered in a book half the size.
rajivc_18Go to rajivc_18's profile
I find this book to be quite a classic in many ways. The story of William Smith is inspiring, enduring and sad. This is the story of a man who, for all practical purposes, ruined his own life for the sake of geology, yet gave the world a new science. It is also the story of how powerful and influential people can play such a strong role in moulding science, the way it is viewed, and in the way that the truth is perceived.It is a sad story in that the man who gave us the science of geology is practically forgotten, and is great map is not generally on display.England surely should do more for the memory of William Smith.Simon Winchester does a really great job of telling the tale of William Smith, and the book is lively and well researched. I read it through, and these days I do have the time to read books through! If I give it three stars, it is only because I wish that it contained a little more information on the scientific methods that William Smith used, and a little more detail about how he created the map. This, to my mind, has been glossed over. Yet, it is a very good book indeed. It is a book that should be read by the scientific community of my own country. We could learn a little from the passion and dedication shown by William Smith, to create enduring legacies of our own.
gbelik_1Go to gbelik_1's profile
A great non-fiction read about the man who did the first topographical map of England, yet was not appreciated at the time, primarily because of his humble origins. Readable and informative.
dandelionrootsGo to dandelionroots's profile
Started reading this book for a class and decided to finish it. Not one of my better decisions. While the subject matter is interesting enough, Winchester's presentation of it is... well, horrible. This could have been an enjoyable read had it been a third of its size. Instead of writing a succinct, illuminating portrait of William Smith, he babbles. Repetition; never-ending descriptions of already sufficiently described events, landscapes, and ideas; and useless facts and accounts wore away my desire to continue reading. Poor William Smith.
plankgeekGo to plankgeek's profile
This book is a must-read for anyone with an interest in biology or geology, because it lays out the historical foundation upon which later scientific discoveries (such as Darwin's theory of evolution) are based. The story is interesting on its own merits, so it will also appeal to those without a science background, and you don't need to be a science geek to appreciate the story. This is a revealing look at the theological battle between the creationist dogma and scientific theories of the early 19th century, as well as the British social and class structures of the time.
cmbohnGo to cmbohn's profile
Themes: science vs. religion, triumph of the underdog, the self educated working scientist vs. the elite theoristI've been a fan of Winchester's since I read The Professor and the Madman several years ago. Sure, he can go on a bit, like in Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded, where he spent lots and lots of time on Continental Drift and not enough time on exploding volcanoes. But when he's on, he's really on. So I was happy to get a copy of this book at the used bookstore.I'd have to rank it up there with my favorites. Winchester's geology background really shows in this book, but that's not a bad thing. First of all, who but a geologist, or a scientist anyway, would choose to write a biography of someone like William Smith, who never did anything sexy or cool, but simply wandered all over the British isles, improving drainage, of all things, digging canals and mines, and making a map?But what a map. A map that really did, in its own way, change the world. He's called The Father of English Geology, which doesn't sound like an especially cool epithet to me, but to each his own. But his map made possible the huge advances in the dating of the earth of understanding Continental Drift, as mentioned above, and finally allowed us to understand what fossils actually were, not Figured Stones, but relics of previous living things. That was huge.I loved the cover. It's a copy of his map that unfolds. I loved that there is another copy of the finished map inside, in full color, and a modern map with it for comparison. I wish they had added a color portrait of the subject as well. Color I guess doesn't really matter, but the full page size would have been nice. There's a glossy of geologic terms at the back, but the few words I looked for weren't there. Oh, and I *really, really loved* that this was a story of a brilliant man of humble origins who made a huge discovery, was ridiculed and victimized because of it, and then was vindicated. How cool is that?If you are interested in reading about science, I would recommend this one. If you like stories that feature real life triumphs of the underdog, I would definitely recommend this. It's not your usual take on the subject, but it's all true, and it makes a great story. 4.25 stars
waxpoetic_1Go to waxpoetic_1's profile
There is so much in this book that I enjoyed. The subject matter is interesting and timely. I think it would be an fantastic addition to any reading list dealing with the mid 19th Century. It is an unexpected adventure and travelogue while still being very much about one man's attempts to find his place in a world that needed and wanted his talents, but that rejected him for his social class.It is as much about the power of observation and careful recording as it is about the weakness of character defined by class distinction. The issue of class may seem very foreign to many, or at least, inappropriate in the academy, but I believe that there have always been ways of separating people from each other, and academia struggles with those separations no less than any other realm of life. The science of geology suffered because of the the unwillingness of some people acknowledge the validity of a person's work based on his lack of 'proper education.' That is a tragedy that reached farther than one person, or one group of people.The 1860's saw so much change in thought and technology and industry, it is a time that becomes more and more complex with every book I read. The writing is strong and the author is thorough. It is difficult at first to face the exhaustive talk of coal-mining and the industry surrounding it, but well worth the effort. I was frustrated at what I believed to be an over-emphasis on the class issues. By the time the book was finished, I understood why he made that choice. He was making a point that maybe could have used a lighter touch. The injustice was so great, though, that it does make sense.This book is a strong and well-researched addition to any library of geology, the history of science or the 19th century.


text:
Q: PHP smbclient.php error Hi so I'm using the smbclient.php file from here.
When I try to run a command however it fails to run.
Upon looking at get_last_cmd_stderr it seems to be returning an error of 'smbclient' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.. Does anyone know a solution to this as I really would like to be able to fetch file from an SMB share via PHP?

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text:
Q: Android / Eclipse trouble with applying themes I'm new to Android and seem to be hung up a bit...
I am trying to build my first Android App. The App is mostly just the template Eclipse creates for you...
I would like to use a base of the Holo Theme and with a default black background. I can get it to work (on the simulator) by hard coding "@android:style/Theme.Holo" in the Manifest. But I can't get it to pull that out of the styles.xml.
Even if I do hard code it in the Manifest, Eclipse still shows a white background in the Activity editor which makes designing with white text on a white background difficult...
I'm sure it's something small I am missing. Please see below...
Thanks in advance
Peter
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="ca.domain.test2"
    android:versionCode="1"
    android:versionName="1.0" >

    <uses-sdk
        android:minSdkVersion="10"
        android:targetSdkVersion="18" />

    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.VIBRATE" />

    <application
        android:allowBackup="true"
        android:icon="@drawable/icon48"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:theme="@style/AppTheme" >
        <activity
            android:name="ca.domain.test2.Something"
            android:configChanges="keyboardHidden|orientation|screenSize"
            android:label="@string/app_name"
            android:screenOrientation="portrait" >
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
    </application>

</manifest>

and
<resources xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">

    <!--
        Base application theme, dependent on API level. This theme is replaced
        by AppBaseTheme from res/values-vXX/styles.xml on newer devices.
    -->
    <style name="AppBaseTheme" parent="android:Theme.Holo">
        <!--
            Theme customizations available in newer API levels can go in
            res/values-vXX/styles.xml, while customizations related to
            backward-compatibility can go here.
        -->
    </style>

    <!-- Application theme. -->
    <style name="AppTheme" parent="AppBaseTheme">
        <!-- All customizations that are NOT specific to a particular API-level can go here. -->
    </style>

</resources>

A: It's because you're putting it in res/values/styles.xml file, which means it's being applied to an app for every API version, but versions up to 10 don't support Holo themes. So, this is how your files should look like:
res/values/styles.xml
<resources>

<!--
    Base application theme, dependent on API level. This theme is replaced
    by AppBaseTheme from res/values-vXX/styles.xml on newer devices.
-->
<style name="AppBaseTheme" parent="@android:style/Theme.Black">
    <!--
        Theme customizations available in newer API levels can go in
        res/values-vXX/styles.xml, while customizations related to
        backward-compatibility can go here.
    -->
</style>

<!-- Application theme. -->
<style name="AppTheme" parent="AppBaseTheme">
    <!-- All customizations that are NOT specific to a particular
         API-level can go here. -->
</style>

</resources>

res/values-v11/styles.xml
<resources>

<!--
    Base application theme for API 11+. This theme completely replaces
    AppBaseTheme from res/values/styles.xml on API 11+ devices.
-->
<style name="AppBaseTheme" parent="android:Theme.Holo">
    <!-- API 11 theme customizations can go here. -->
</style>

</resources>

res/values-v14/styles.xml
<resources>

<!--
    Base application theme for API 14+. This theme completely replaces
    AppBaseTheme from BOTH res/values/styles.xml and
    res/values-v11/styles.xml on API 14+ devices.
-->
<style name="AppBaseTheme" parent="android:Theme.Holo">
    <!-- API 14 theme customizations can go here. -->
</style>

</resources>


text:
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December 1, 2019 April 7, 2018
A list of Canadian sports tragedies
Posted By: sherwoodparkweather 170 Views american news sites, breaking world news, latest news on today, local news today, ne4ws, new news, news current events, news for today, news of today, news websites for current events, the latest breaking news, today's national news headlines in english, todays current news, top new today
Published Saturday, April 7, 2018 11:02AM EDT
Last Updated Saturday, April 7, 2018 11:09AM EDT
In light of the tragic bus crash in Saskatchewan that killed 14 people and injured 14 others on Friday, The Canadian Press has compiled a list of past sports tragedies that have impacted the country.
Dec. 9, 1956 — Canadian Football League's Saskatchewan Roughriders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Five players from the Blue Bombers and Roughriders were killed when their plane crashed into Mount Slesse near Chilliwack, B.C., as they returned home from the CFL's all-star game in Vancouver. A total of 62 people were killed when the plane lost control due to severe icing and turbulence. Melvin Howard Becket (Roughriders), Mario Joseph DeMarco (Roughriders), Gordon Henry Sturtridge (Roughriders), Raymond Nicholas Syrnyk (Roughriders) and Calvin Jack Jones (Blue Bombers) were among the dead.
Nov. 24, 1974 — Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's Sherbrooke Castors
Centre Gaetan Paradis was killed when the Sherbrooke Castors bus crashed nearly 50 kilometres outside of Chicoutimi, Que. Although 29 of his teammates were severely injured when the bus flipped over due to treacherous road conditions, only the 19-year-old Paradis died in the accident.
Dec. 30, 1986 — Western Hockey League's Swift Current Broncos
Junior hockey players Trent Kresse, Scott Kruger, Chris Mantyka, and Brent Ruff were killed instantly when the Swift Current Broncos' bus hit a patch of black ice on the Trans-Canada Highway while heading east toward Regina. The four were sitting in the back of the bus when it hit an overpass, flipped and then slid for nearly 100 metres. Survivors of that crash included future Hockey Hall of Famer Joe Sakic and head coach Graham James, who was later convicted of sexually abusing two of his players.
Jan. 12, 2008 — Bathurst High School boys basketball team
Teenagers Javier Acevedo, Codey Branch, Nathan Cleland, Justin Cormier, Daniel Hains, Nikki Kelly and Nickolas Quinn, all from Bathurst, N.B., were killed when a van carrying their high school basketball team crashed just outside their hometown. Elizabeth Lord, the coach's wife, was also killed when the van collided with a semi-truck, injuring four other passengers in the van. Two investigations, one by the RCMP and the other by Transport Canada, found the cause of the disaster was a combination of poor road conditions, lack of proper snow tires, and possible driver error.
Feb. 12, 2010 — Olympic luge slider Nodar Kumaritashvili
Nodar Kumaritashvili of Georgia was fatally injured in a luge crash during his final training run at the Olympic Sliding Centre in Whistler, B.C. The 21-year-old lost control in the penultimate turn of the course. He was thrown over the sidewall of the track, striking an unprotected steel support pole. The accident occurred just hours before the opening ceremony of the Vancouver Winter Games.
Sept. 7 2011 — Kontinental Hockey League's Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl's team plane ran off the runway before takeoff, striking a tower mast, catching fire and crashing two kilometres away from the airport in Yaroslavl, Russia. Thirty-seven members of the KHL team died, including head coach Brad McCrimmon of Dodsland, Sask., and assistant coach Igor Korolev, a former NHL player who was a naturalized Canadian with dual Canadian/Russian citizenship. Crew member Alexander Sizov was the sole survivor. A total of 45 passengers died.
https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.3875466.1523113250!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_300/image.jpg
#CanadianNews #news #worldnews #headlinenews #CanadaNews Stories and much more.
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Originally posted 2018-04-07 16:50:08. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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