Engines of Change: the American Industrial Revolution 1790-1860 [Paperback]

Brooke Hindle (Author), Steven Lubar (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 17, 1986

Engines of Change is based on a Smithsonian Institution exhibit of the same title. The principal theme is the importance of technological transfer. It ventures beyond discussion of machines and tools to consider the effects of geographical dimension, natural resources, business practices, the role of women, ethnic diversity, and education. In this work the authors present a pictorial history of the Industrial Revolution in America, derived from surviving artifacts, historical prints, and other graphic materials. By means of this work they bring about a fuller understanding of the major developments in American technology, business, economics, and labor, tracing the migration of technology and technologists from Europe to America, where skilled craftsmen—combined with the richness of natural resources and the energy and innovations released by the young nation's political freedoms—enabled industrialism to flourish.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“This lavishly illustrated, clearly written, and well-organized book will make a fine supplement for university courses on technology.”—Science

Product Details

• Paperback: 309 pages
• Publisher: Smithsonian Books (October 17, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 087474539X
• ISBN-13: 978-0874745399
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 0.6 x 10.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,122,058 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A disappointment., September 21, 2005

By 

roster1972 (DC - NoVa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Engines of Change: the American Industrial Revolution 1790-1860 (Paperback)

This book essentially reads at the level of a mediocre high school textbook, if such a book were written by an undergraduate history major who is destined for work in retail management or real estate. The writing generally comprises a jumble of barely connected facts, boring digressions, second- or third-hand analysis and a writing style greatly in need of a rigorous editor. The authors quickly run out of anything interesting to say about the titular American Industrial Revolution, and eventually move on to a meandering chapter about the London Exhibition of 1851. No reputable university press would have released this work; apparently the Smithsonian Institution has much lower standards. One saving grace is the Suggested Readings section at the end, which will point the reader to many books far more worthy of his or her time than this one.