History of Technology Books

“. . . a fascinating and diverse collection of talented people. . . . Anyone interested in the history of technology will find this a useful and interesting reference.” —Science Books and Films / National Association for the Advancement of Science

Technology's Past, Vol. 2:
More Heroes of Invention
and Innovation
By Dennis Karwatka

This new book features profiles of 81 inventors and technologists whose creativity, hard work, and persistence changed the way people live. As in the best-selling first volume of Technology’s Past, author Dennis Karwatka traces the development of technology and industry through the fascinating—often inspiring—lives of the people behind the innovations. The book also presents intriguing details on the day-to-day lives of people in earlier times and discusses how the innovators’ work impacted them.

Those profiled include such people as automotive pioneers Charles Duryea, Walter Chrysler, Karl Benz, and Charles Rolls and Frederick Royce; household innovators Count Rumford (the Rumford Roaster, drip coffee maker, steam-heated radiator), Eli Terry (accurate, affordable clocks), Catharine Beecher (house design), Isaac Singer (sewing machine), Erastus Bigelow (carpets), computer pioneers Charles Babbage, Ada Lovelace, Howard Aiken, and Grace Hopper.

Features include:

Easy to understand, technically accurate explanations of inventions and technical processes.
An upbeat view of the human side of the history of technology.
Annotated list of the best sources for research in the field.
Large format, with many illustrations.
A proven winner with adults and students alike.
A bonus section at the book’s end presents overviews of 19th century technical fairs (World’s Fairs), the history of women involved with technology in the 19th century, technology-related World Heritage Sites, and the growing field of industrial archaeology.

Dennis Karwatka is professor emeritus, Department of Industrial and Engineering Technology, Morehead (KY) State
University.

ISBN 0-911168-96-6
272 pages; 8-1/2" x 11"; paperback; illustrated; indexed
List price: $29.95; school/web price: $23.96

Click below for a sample profile in
pdf format

Walter P. Chrysler

Guglielmo Marconi

For a free copy of Acrobat Reader, visit www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/
readstep.html

Technology's Past Series

Save on the set—only $44.92!

Product of the Month

“Written in an enjoyable style . . .
this technological history is fascinating.”—Choice

Technology’s Past, Vol. 1
America's Industrial Revolution
and the People Who Delivered the Goods
By Dennis Karwatka

Important inventors and technologists have too often disappeared into the ranks of American history's unsung heroes. Now, Technology’s Past brings their fascinating stories to life!

Dennis Karwatka presents biographies of 76 individuals and two notable vehicles (the winner of the first around-the-world car race in 1908 and America’s first steam locomotive). In addition to facing huge technical challenges, those profiled often struggled against material hardships and the skepticism of their peers. The author shows how, through initiative, creativity, and persistence, these people succeeded in producing innovations—sometimes quite amazing ones—that bettered the lives of many.

Technology’s Past profiles such recognized innovators as the Wright Brothers, Henry Ford, and Thomas Edison. It also features others who, in spite of their significant and interesting contributions, are not well known today. They include such people as John Deere (polished-steel plow), Cyrus McCormick (reaper), Charles Kettering (automotive self-starter), and Ole Evinrude (outboard motor).

The author gives clear, technically accurate descriptions of inventions and innovations in a way that makes them easy to understand. Technology's Past makes a great gift for anyone interested in history or the evolution of our technology.

ISBN: 0-911168-91-5
272 pages; 8-1/2" x 11"; illustrated; indexed
List price: $29.95; This month only: $19.95

Click below for a sample profile in
pdf format

Benjamin Holt

For a free copy of Acrobat Reader, visit www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/
readstep.html

Check out our History of Technology Poster Series

Heroes of Technology

History of Technology Series

By Dennis Karwatka

Read the fascinating story of how technology has shaped our world in this handsome new three-book series by award-winning author Dennis Karwatka!

These books bring to life the fields of production, communication, and transportation. Each presents a comprehensive overview of the technology's evolution, plus a selection of biographies of its key innovators. Features include:

Upbeat view of humanity's technological history.
Clear, easy-to-follow descriptions of inventions make technology interesting and understandable to all readers.
Discussion of the effects of technical advances on the lives of everyday people gives readers a fascinating glimpse of the day-to-day lives of past generations.
Beautifully illustrated with vintage photos and drawings.
Ideal gifts for technology and history buffs.

Purchase these books at special web discount pricing.

SALE: $19.95 each book
or $49.95 for the three-volume set.
To order the entire set click the
Add to Cart button below.

Building Civilization covers construction of roads, canals, bridges, houses, and skyscrapers, plus the development of factories and machine tools. It features such innovators as Simeon North (the pistol manufacturer who invented the milling machine), John Roebling and James Eads (bridge builders), Alice Hamilton (industrial medicine pioneer), Raymond Loewy (designer of streamlined trains and cars, refrigerators, and radios) and more.

232 pages; 8-1/2" x 11"; paperbound; ISBN 0-9703398-2-8

List price: $34.95;
Sale price: $19.95

Connecting Civilization includes printing, photography, telegraph, telephone, radio, and television. It also details the fields of electricity/electronics and computers. Those profiled include Fox Talbott and George Eastman (photography), Samuel Morse and Cyrus Field (the telegraph), Lee De Forest and Edwin Armstrong (radio), John Baird and Philo Farnsworth (television), aAda Lovelace and Grace Hopper (computer programming) and more.

243 pages; 8-1/2" x 11"; paperbound; ISBN 0-9703398-4-4

List price: $34.95;
Sale price: $19.95

Moving Civilization includes boats, trains, cars, trucks, motorcycles, lighter-than-air craft, airplanes, helicopters, and rockets. Innovators include Henry Ford, Walter Chrysler, Charles Duryea, and Karl Benz (the automobile), Garret Morgan (traffic signal), Orville and Wilbur Wright, Glenn Curtiss, and William Boeing (the airplane), John Ericsson and Isambard Brunel (ships), Ole Evinrude (the outboard boat motor) and more.

238 pages; 8-1/2" x 11"; paperbound; ISBN 0-9703398-3-6

List price: $34.95;
Sale price: $19.95

Dennis Karwatka is professor emeritus, Department of Industrial and Engineering Technology, Morehead (KY) State University.