In his whistle-stop tour of inventions large and small, the scientist Trevor Norton shares the Gershwins' view that invention is fundamentally comic... Some of the most amusing bits of Norton's book - whose short chapters encourage you to dip in at random rather than read sequentially - concern those inventions that didn't quite make the grade... Another source of comedy in Norton's history of invention is our changing sense of what matters. * The Sunday Times * In Norton's breezy telling of man's progress, it is not necessity that is the mother of invention, but other inventors. * Mail on Sunday * A new book tells the remarkable stories behind our everyday lives. * Daily Express * He tells these tales of super-human determination with a sharp twinkle in his eye and an unerring instinct for the absurd. * Daily Mail * Norton humanises honest science and sincere endeavour with humour and respect. * The Times * Most such histories concentrate either on the Eureka moments or try to convey the mix of inspiration and perspiration that leads to great discoveries. Norton's hugely entertaining romp does both of those, with a large dose of butterscotch ripple provided by the less talented rivals to Archimedes and Edison... For thanks to diligent research Norton has traced the hilarious failures that came before the Eureka moments. Crackpot ideas and great inventions have rarely been combined before to give such a complete and utter picture of the process of inventiveness at its least and most successful... all these and many other necessary failures are lovingly documented by Norton in his all-too-true story of invention. * Daily Express * Norton tells engaging stories in a very readable manner. * Financial Times * This fascinating compendium of pioneering progress gives the background to these and many other technological and medical advances... Trevor Norton didn't invent the concept of a great read - but with this wry, entertaining look at the brains behind the breakthroughs, he has definitely delivered on. * Daily Record * It's a great mix of the history of crackpot ideas and outstanding inventions that demonstrates the process of inventiveness both at its best and worst. * Bournemouth Daily Echo * Norton takes us on an informative dash through the inventors who have changed our lives with their creations. From tiny transistors to Brunel's great iron ships, their stories spring from this book's pages with good humour and wit. This sympathetic look at the trials of pioneering something revolutionary offers glimpses into the history of invention, explaining how these remarkable men became the pathfinders of modern commercial and domestic life. * The Lady *
Lisainfo e-raamatute kohta