Inventing the Twentieth Century : 100 Inventions That Shaped the World

Remarkable . . . get the book for yourself. It'll hold you for many hours.--Wall Street JournalA fascinating compendium for trivia seekers.--Publishers WeeklyHighly entertaining . . . In addition to being able to tell a good story, van Dulken . . . easily assembles complex ideas from chemistry and engineering and makes them palatable for the lay person. Van Dulken has assembled a panoramic snapshot of the century. By giving us a picture of our past, van Dulken also presents our future.--Boston GlobeOne more treasure trove for trivia addicts.--Herald-RepublicImagine your average day without zippers, airplanes or vacuum cleaners, without your clock radio or your personal stereo, without photocopiers. All of these devices were invented within the last hundred years and have since transformed our daily landscape.Drawing on The British Library's vast and comprehensive collection of patents, this handsomely illustrated book recounts the history of 100 of the most significant inventions of the century, decade by decade.From the photocopier to the Slinky, from genetic fingerprinting to the Lava Lamp, from the ballpoint pen to the fuel cell, Inventing the Twentieth Century is an informative, illuminating window onto the technology of the twentieth century. It's the perfect gift book for every inventor and tinkerer in your life!A wonderful book--L.A. Daily Breeze, Oct. 19, 2001

Stephen van Dulken is a curator in the Patents Information Service of the British Library.