The tale of explosives from gunpowder to the H-bomb. Laying the emphasis on the lives of those involved, on the diverse uses of explosives and their social and historical impact, the author relates a story of international human endeavor. Many of those involved - Roger Bacon, Guy Fawkes, Alfred Nobel, Robert Oppenheimer - are famed worldwide; others, such as C.F. Schonbein, William Bickford, Sir Frederick Abel and Charles E. Munroe, though less well-known, also played crucial roles. Alongside these individuals' achievements, the book highlights the uses and impact of explosives in both war and terrorism, and in civil engineering, quarrying, mining, demolition, fireworks manufacture and shooting for sport. In many cases, explosives are seen to have had a significant historical impact as, for example, in the early use of gunpowder in the American Civil War, the defeat of the Spanish Armada and the worldwide opening up of canals and railways.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
G. I. Brown served as a technical officer with Special Operations in England and with the Services Reconnaissance Department in Australia. Until his retirement, he taught chemistry at Eton College.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An excellent book on a very specialized subject,
This review is from: The Big Bang: A History of Explosives (Paperback)
A bigger difference than between this book and "History of Greek fire and gunpowder" can hardly be imagined. "The big bang" is written like a history book and therefore much easier to read that professor Partington's book. It describes the history of all explosives, from black powder to the H-bomb. It is surprisingly complete. The book treats, among others, black powder, smokeless powder, cordite, ballistite, nitroglycerin, dynamite, gun cotton, TNT, ANFO, picric acid, safety fuse, detonators, the A- bomb and the H-bomb. It is clearly an historical account, not a recipe book. The writer not only describes the technical- and chemical aspects of explosives but also tells the story of the persons, production methods and companies that have played a role. Also he gives information on the application of explosives in military use, mining, demolition and quarrying and on all the problems that have occurred in the course of time. Even the "gunpowder machine" (predecessor to the steam engine) is mentioned. Obviously the writer is from Britain, which shows in his discussion of the patent controversy between Alfred Nobel and the British government concerning the production of Cordite. Generally, however, he takes a very objective position. The writer has also placed the development of explosives in the broader context of social development and a number of interesting facts are mentioned. It seems that the publication of the Balfour declaration (which led to the founding of the state of Israel) was very much due to the fact that it was a Jewish chemic (Chaim Weizmann, the later president of Israel) who found a solution to the shortage of acetone in England during the First World War, thus helping the war effort. Acetone is essential for the production of Cordite, the main propellant for the British guns. Also controversial characters like Fritz Haber and Robert Oppenheimer feature in this book besides large industries like Dupont de Nemours and Kynoch. The development of explosives is not only important to the war industry and mining but also plays a vital role in the realization of important, prestigious public works like canals, tunnels and railroads. The explosives industry stands at the basis of much of the modern chemical industry. All in all "The big bang" is an excellent book to learn the history of this very specialized and sometimes controversial subject.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent book, for those who like chemical history,
This review is from: The Big Bang: A History of Explosives (Hardcover)
THE BIG BANG a History of Explosives was written by George I Brown, and not by Adam Hart-Davis. Adam Hart-Davis is an exceptionally fine presenter, with the BBC. He has a programme called LOCAL HEROES, and is an ex professor of a university, in the UK(I'm sorry I can't remember which one). Adam Hart-Davis writes a foreword of one page long. Mr. George Brown wrote the other 256 pages, and a wonderful piece of work he wrote. If you want to kill people, then your looking @ the wrong book, move along. Other than that the Title says it all really.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting history of explosives for both war and peace,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Big Bang: A History of Explosives (Hardcover)
The book is a thematic history of explosives. The largest coverage is for gun powder detailing the history of its use in guns, bombs, rockets and mining. Then the further advances of explosives are covered up to and including nuclear explosives. The author presents a technical work easily understood by this non-chemist. He also gives the very human background of the various inventors and users of the explosives. What was most interesting to me is the fact that many of our most famous chemical producing companies started with the production of explosives. Also interesting was the history of the development of safe explosives both for war and for mining purposes. The book is well illustrated and easily accessable for the layperson and for the professional.
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