Customer Reviews

American Heritage of Invention and Technology

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This magazine is devoted to American inventions and technology that have affected our lives. In essence, this magazine is a historical magazine about American technology. Within each issue are multiple articles about a historical invention. The articles can either focus on the technology or focus on an individual who has been a key contributor to the advancement of that technology. Typically, each issue also has an interview with an inventor or inventors whose contributions have materially affected our lives or society.

The scope of the magazine is broad. There have been articles on the Trans-Canada highway. Another recent issue had an excellent article on tunnel boring machines. In yet another article the development of refinery cracking was described in the context of the development of higher performance engines. The contribution of high octane gasoline to the winning of the air war was mentioned, an interesting piece of trivia of which I was previously unaware.

The scope of the magazine is beyond the physical sciences. Biology and the development of medical technology are also covered. While the magazine is written at a level that an educated non-expert can understand, some of the biology related articles challenge my attention.

This magazine is an excellent source of technological history. However, while the technical jargon used is that appropriate to a technology, this magazine is not light reading for those unfamiliar with a specific field. As an example, I had to read portions of the article on refinery cracking a couple of times to understand the general description of how the cracking process works. Therefore, while I highly recommend this magazine to anyone with an interest in the history of technology, realize that for some readers, for example elementary school students, this magazine could present a reading challenge.

Most articles also provide pictures or other artwork. Frequently this artwork is unavailable from any other magazine source because there are so few magazines that deal with technological history. The quality of the images varies because many of the pictures have not been well-preserved, but in many cases they are the only pictures available.

This magazine frequently mentions the Inventor's Hall of Fame in Akron, Ohio, which is sponsored by the United States Patent & Trademark Office. A number of articles have covered inductees to the Inventor's Hall of Fame, showing that while the articles are historical in nature, they are also currently relevant.

There are a large number of magazines that are either about technology, or have had articles about technology. There are a large number of trade magazines that cover technology. Sometimes these magazines even have articles about the history of an invention. However, the "American Heritage of Invention & Technology" is the only magazine of which I am aware the covers the history of invention and technology. While the focus of the articles is American technology, it is inevitable that the relationship of foreign invention is covered occasionally as well when that technology was important in the development of American technology. I consider this magazine to be excellent for anyone with an interest in historical technology, and is an excellent complement to other historical magazines.

Of all the magazines I currently subscribe to, I have had this one the longest. Short, concise articles on everyday items are written for the layman and really open up the history of technology to the reader. I just wish I would have kept all the issues from the start of my subscription.

I read every issue cover to cover, information on a variety of technology related subjects. All the articles are well researched and informative. Unfortunately it only comes four times a year! Think Wired Magazine meets Smithsonian Magazine. Should appeal to engineers of all types especially.

A sampling of past articles:
'When Bridges fail and the inexact science of preventing it'
'The making of the Mouse: Its evolution from a deoderant ball in a butter dish into a tool you use every day'

'Birth of the Electron Microscope'
'The Radial Revolution: Inventing the tire that changed the way we drive'
'Kevlar: A mighty fiber and the woman who invented it'
'Creative Destruction: Your old cars high tech last moments'
'Eyes in the Skies: A picture history of spy photography'
'Making Teflon Stick: Discovering it was easy. Turning it into a successful product was anything but.'

I wish this magazine came out more often (as another reviewer said). It would be fascinating for anyone with the slightest interest in the history of technology and engineering. Recent articles have covered vacuum tubes, their history, and why some are still used now, and nuclear power and how that industry stalled in America. I remember reading another article in the mid-'90s about a guy in New York City who shoveled coal for a public school furnace. He explained his job and how hard it was to buy a coal shovel (the hardware store people couldn't believe it). A few years later they followed up with a note that all public schools in NYC had been converted from coal, and that the coal-shoveler's job was MUCH easier maintaining the new furnace. Stories on iron bridges and how Necco wafers are made (with the same machine for 100 years or so) and how buttons are made from seashells and how paper clips are made and how a Hollywood actress designed a frequency-jumping weapons guidance system and all sorts of others are included. Lots of cool articles about how everyday (and not-so-common) technologies went from ideas in someone's mind to products that are ready for use.

I must add a few words of praise for this Magazine. Very few magazines capture my interest throughout its pages -- this one does. I lean far more heavily toward publications that teach something, and, I'm sorry to say, most of the science and technology magazines are pure fluff. This magazine actually adds to my knowledge of historical events and life-changing inventions. One article dealt with the design of golf balls. Another dealt with the designing and successful deployment of the Mars rovers. A recent one dealt with Abraham Lincoln being the only US President to ever hold a patent. The breadth of discussions in these articles goes on and on -- the vast majority of which are fascinating. And you're not bludgeoned with advertisement after advertisement.

Too many magazines are full of pretty ads -- but when you add up the total number of pages that actually offer any meaningful information, they are very much lacking.

This is not one of them.

You will not be disappointed in subscribing to this one. You will keep each and every issue. You will read it from cover to cover. And your kids will love you for it. The letters that are written in by people who were actually there during some of these history-making events add fascinating insights. This is truly a unique publication.

The articles will blow your mind. Did you know the catalytic converter *had not been invented* when the Clean Air Act was enacted? It's an everyday fact of life now, and we take for granted that we can drive cars everywhere and still be able to breathe. But Congress took a leap of faith, and some hardworking Edison-types out in the auto industry found an incredibly practical solution to a problem that many thought could not be solved in a cost-effective way.

I just saw a trailer for the 2008 movie, Flash of Genius, about the guy who invented the intermittent windshield wiper. As a species, we're so good at assimilating stuff like that. Then taking it for granted. And thinking it must have always existed. Or that the idea is obvious. "Heck, *I* could have done that." But we'd all still be living by the seashore and eating raw fish if some hardworking folks hadn't pushed, pulled, dragged us forward, one invention at a time.

This magazine tells their stories. Get it, and see behind the curtain!

This was recommended to me years ago by a friend and I gave it a try. I have learned the most amazing things from this magazine. It only comes out 4 times a year. It's a little skinny thing. There are no ads, though. The publisher took a hiatus for about a year, but apparently it's back.

edited - see added comment below.
In our slick and dumbed down society Invention & Technology is one of the few bright spots for the few that know about it.

Summer 2007 was the last time it was issued, HOWEVER American Heritage has found a new publisher. This means AH's parent company Forbes, Inc has sold it I guess? On the phone with AH I was told they plan to start up publication again this summer, of 2008. I just hope the unique spartan 'no fuss' retro pre-60's format will not be changed too much, additionally with the continuation of no advertisements. The extensive research that goes into each expertly written article along with the 'really cool' historical photos is much appreciated by the magazine's fans.

Ever wonder how things we use every day were first conceived, designed, built, and marketed? Each time it arrives you'll get a good five or ten well-written stories about them. I've been subscribing for years and this is the magazine I look forward to receiving the most. It's also the only magazine that I hang on to my back issues for.

This is also the only magazine with a "Letters to the Editor" section that I actually bother to read. You see, as well-researched as each article is, there are always readers who will add a more interesting tidbits to the story via this section.

i have 49 US patents granted and issued many more pending
this magazine is easy to read and opens the mind horizons

This magazine has a very loyal following for good reason. It is one of the best technology magazines in print or online. I have every issue since the first one published in 1985 to Present. You will not go wrong.