History of Engineering and Technology: Artful Methods [Hardcover]

Ervan G. Garrison (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 084939810X | ISBN-13: 978-0849398100 | Publication Date: June 29, 1998 | Edition: 2

History of Engineering and Technology provides an illustrated history of engineered technology from the Stone Age to the Nuclear Age. Examining important areas of engineering and technology, this second edition contains:

New contributions on

Airships and zeppelins

Highways and economics

Early hydroelectricity

Chemical engineering

Technology and history

Brunel and the Royal Navy

Stealth and the submarine

Computer history

Deepwater engineering

Science fiction and the evolution of modern engineering

Art and engineering

Electric motors, radio, and batteries

Expansion of these existing chapters

Mining and the Location of Minerals

Water Distribution: Qanots to Acequias

Biomedical Engineering

Communication Engineering: Shannon to Satellites

Personalities and the Auto: Ford and Ferrari

Failures in Engineering: Chernobyl, Titanic, Tacoma Narrows, Challenger

Cold Fusion, Electric Cars, and Other "Humbug"

This introductory book presents the persons, concepts, and events that made salient contributions to the engineering narrative, reporting a compelling story spanning millennia and encouraging a sense of history for its readers.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: CRC Press; 2 edition (June 29, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 084939810X
• ISBN-13: 978-0849398100
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,052,204 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars An interesting, but stylistically flawed, survey text., November 8, 1999

By 

Darby A. Gray (Norman, OK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: History of Engineering and Technology: Artful Methods (Hardcover)

Although Mr. Garrison's text seems to be well-researched, it does not reflect the quality of workmanship one would expect of someone with his credentials. It reads more like a printed collection of notes intended to be used in preparation of a book than the intended finished product, especially the 2nd Edition of a prior publication.

While appearing to be well-researched, the text is filled with grammatical and stylistic errors such as incomplete sentences, improper punctuation, mixed metaphors, incoherent mixing of units of measure, unknown or undefined abbreviations, non sequiturs, and a host of other errors that would support several weeks of discussion in a college expository or technical writing course.

While I found the book generally informative, the frequency and nature of the stylistic problems makes for somewhat disjointed reading, and calls into question the quality of the underlying research. I would strongly suggest the publisher employ an editor, or at least a proofreader, and begin a 3rd Edition of this work. In its present form this edition is not a worthwhile addition to any serious engineering or history library, in my opinion.