When Technology Fails: Significant Technological Disasters, Accidents, and Failures of the Twentieth Century (Hardcover)

~ Neil Schlager (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This fascinating reference book provides detailed case studies of more than 100 significant failures of modern technology. The incidents covered represent a variety of fields, ranging from transportation to civil engineering to the environment and include notable disasters involving aircraft and other vehicles, bridges and buildings, chemical facilities, medicine, spacecraft, and nuclear power. Arranged by broad subject categories and often accompanied by photos, charts, and diagrams, the 1000- to 1500-word entries are written by experts who discuss the background, details, and impact of the event. Each entry concludes with a list of sources for further study. This work offers an interesting perspective on our technological failures and valuable insight into their background, causes, and effects. Recommended for most libraries.
- Joe Accardi, Northeastern Illinois Univ. Lib., Chicago
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

This fascinating new book chronicles such significant twentieth-century technological failures as the Hindenburgh, Love Canal, the Challenger, and thalidomide. Assisted by contributing editor Leonard Bruno, senior science specialist at the Library of Congress, and several distinguished advisers, Schlager has compiled entries on 103 technological disasters in a wide variety of fields. Entries were written by contributors who are experts in science, architecture, and engineering or journalists who specialize in technological subjects.

The book is international in scope and surveys 12 fields, such as automobiles, bridges, dams, and submarines. The fields are arranged alphabetically and within each, entries are arranged chronologically. All are signed and written in a nontechnical style comprehensible to the average educated adult. Each entry is in the same format. A heading notes the place and date of the disaster, and a one-sentence description gives the significance of the incident. A background section relates how the project was designed. This is followed by sections detailing the disaster and the impact it has had on the field. Rounding out each article is a bibliography listing a handful of books and articles, though some are more extensive, e.g., Chernobyl has 18 citations. Appropriately placed throughout the text are approximately 150 black-and-white photographs and line drawings.

Facilitating use of this work is a table of contents with a one-sentence annotation for each entry. The contributors list notes affiliation, expertise area, and publications. A chronology lists the events. Concluding the volume is a bibliography that cites 49 books and a detailed index.

There are a number of reference books on disasters; Man-Made Catastrophes [RBB Ja 1 93] invites comparison. It covers disasters from ancient times to the present, rather than just the twentieth century. There is some duplication in disasters covered, but the two books have different purposes. Man-Made Catastrophes recounts the human tragedy while When Technology Fails emphasizes the technological significance of the event and what we can learn from it. Thus, these two titles are complementary. High-school, college, and public libraries will want to consider adding When Technology Fails to their collections.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 659 pages
• Publisher: Thomson Gale (January 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810389088
• ISBN-13: 978-0810389083
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.2 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #963,848 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An absolute "must read" for all technical professionals, April 23, 1999

By A Customer

A truly riviting book about the many failures of modern time. I couldn't put it down! This book fills in the details of many of the major disasters and accidents that you have read about in the news but provides the reader with the reasons that the technology failed. It's technically accurate without being overly complex. It explains not only what happened in each of the failures, but provides information on why it happened. I found the section on environmental accidents to be thought provoking and insightful. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone working in a technical field.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Requisite Reading, July 4, 2000

By	Edgar P. Sonn (Avondale, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

A most excellent compilation. Thought provoking and sobering material. Should be requisite reading for any Engineer, Project Manager, Operations Director, etc. Would especially recommend it as required reading for Engineering Students. The work often chronicles how various failures were first attributed to the most apparent superficial causes (i.e., the easy fix), but then only after several more failures were the root causes finally investigated, often at great cost both financially and in terms of human cost. Makes you wonder the next time you rush a project, cut some corners, eat away some margin, take some risks, etc...

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, comprehensive book on modern era disasters!, February 20, 2006

By	S. Fedoruk - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a welding/metals inspector, I have both a professional and personal fascination with disasters. I own many books on various construction failures but this book remains one of my favorites. I have read this book cover to cover twice now and often find myself going back to it to reference various disasters.
While this book is not technical in nature (I don't believe you'll see any math formulas in the book), it is very comprehensive and straight forward in the explaining the background, details surrounding the failure, and the subsequent impact.
What separates this book from the many competitors is that it covers such a broad range of topics- from airships to medical catastrophes- and everything in between. And it doesn't just cover the famous (or infamous) disasters which have already been poured over ad nauseam. Though it does include the requisite Hindenburg, Kansas City Hyatt, and Titanic disasters, it also touches on the King Street Bridge and the Dalkon shield.

Though the text is a bit pricey, it is worth every penny and makes a wonderful addition to any library, whether an engineer or just someone with an interest in the mechanics of failure.