13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
How Things Work by John Langone, April 17, 2005
This review is from: New How Things Work: From Lawn Mowers to Surgical Robots and Everthing in Between (Hardcover)
How Things Work is a vast compilation of explanations on everyday appliances that are dealt with in all areas of life. The book is divided into eleven chapters with categories ranging from household appliances, to mining and manufacturing, and health and medicine. Each chapter is two pages long with a descriptive page and a picture page which puts an image with the words. The description begins with a brief history of the machine followed by a description of the principles governing the machine.
This book is both interesting and informative and would capture the curiosity of a wide group of people. One of the great parts of the book is that the machines range from simple designs, such as a non-electric lawn mower, to highly complex designs, such as space telescopes; and there is no prior knowledge required before reading any of the descriptions. When you think about the thousands of gadgets, both small and large, that makes our lives possible; it is easy to pass them by without thinking about them. This book describes these items in a fashion that keeps the readers interest and makes them want to read on. I would recommend this book to anyone with the slightest interest in the mechanical world around them.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Everyday Technology Explained, May 5, 2008
This review is from: New How Things Work: From Lawn Mowers to Surgical Robots and Everthing in Between (Hardcover)
John Langone's "The New How Things Work" has more information with more details, realistic illustrations, and actual photographs to show how each item works. This is the grown-up companion to David Macaulay's illustrated "the New Way Things Work." Both books will last a lifetime in information or until obselete.
National Geographic, renowned for its magnificent publications over the years does not falter with this volume. Instead, it is an over-sized publication dedicated to explaining technology to the lay public. The explanations are not "dumbed down" but use standard scientific terms, but not so difficult that an educated person cannot comprehend them. An example taken from the first product highlighted: "A microwave oven produces high-frequency electromagnetic waves. Passing through food, the waves reverse polarity billions of times a second" (16).
The book is arranged into eleven categories: At Home, Power and Energy, Buildings, Transportation, Agriculture, Fabrics and Fibers, Entertainment, Mining and Manufacturing, Information and Communication, and Other Worlds.
Two items from each category in order: security systems, plumbing, geothermal power, batteries, escalators, bridges, bicycles, sailboats, aquaculture, hydroponics, sewing, synthetic fibers, DVD, the zamboni, glassmaking, robotics, X-ray, implants, cell phones, internet, night vision, and military technology. An amazing list of technology whose inner workings are revealed. And many more items.
I flipped randomly to show the reader an example of how things are explained. On page 70 is an article, illustration, and photograph of various aspects of the "Chunnel" or Channel Tunnel, which traverses the English/French Channel. The illustration shows the two one-way rail tunnels for trains and shuttles and the central service tunnel for ventilation and evacuation. The photograph shows an incredible machine that cut through rock 200 feet below the floor of the English Channel. A magnificent feat!!
These two books, together or separately, are the study of many, many times opened on a parent's or grandparent's lap. At some point the child him or herself will continue the journey alone in a solitary quest to know how and the way things work.
Both are highly recommended.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
this book was awsome, March 30, 2007
A Kid's Review
This review is from: New How Things Work: From Lawn Mowers to Surgical Robots and Everthing in Between (Hardcover)
I would recommend this book to people because I really thought this book was a page-turner. It was a page-turner because I would always want to know how the next things work and function. Another reason why I recommend this book to people that really like to learn about how combustion engines work or how a cell phone works, and everything in between.
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