A look at the engineering principles behind ordinary objects and
processes by the author of the bestsellers The Evolution of Useful
Things (1992) and The Pencil (1989). Petroski is, essentially, a
cheerleader for civil engineers, who are at their most successful
when their designs blend so completely into our environment that we
forget about the magnificent achievements they represent. Here
Petroski takes a look at the development of such things as pencils,
zippers, paper clips, the fax machine, turbojet aircraft,
suspension bridges, aluminum beverage cans, and the systems that
heat and cool modern buildings. Since he has written before about
the history of lead pencils, zippers, and paper clips, he tries
this time to turn his emphasis more toward the engineering process
involved in developing the object, but many readers will feel that
he's merely recapitulating earlier work. (On the other hand, his
chapter on the pencil nicely summarizes an entire book, saving new
readers some time.) Petroski writes interestingly on the aluminum
beverage can, but a widely circulated Scientific American article,
which he draws from, covered this ground more succinctly and with
more authority in 1994 and is still widely available on the
Internet. On the grand if exotic subject of sewers and water
management, civil engineering's greatest triumph and, arguably, the
greatest achievement of the Roman and later the British empires,
Petroski, oddly, loses his popularizer's touch, taking a historical
perspective that never escapes the tone of a summary. Perhaps this
subject deserves a book all its own. On the fax machine, however,
and particularly on the development of the Boeing 777, Petroski
flies to his customary heights. Petroski once again goes where many
have gone before, this time with mixed results. Not his best
effort, but pleasant, readable, and persuasive, nonetheless.
(Kirkus Reviews)
Henry Petroski's previous bestsellers have delighted readers with
intriguing stories about the engineering marvels around us, from
the lowly pencil to the soaring suspension bridge. In this book,
Petroski delves deeper into the mystery of invention, to explore
what everyday artifacts and sophisticated networks can reveal about
the way engineers solve problems. Engineering entails more than
knowing the way things work. What do economics and ecology,
aesthetics and ethics, have to do with the shape of a paper clip,
the tab of a beverage can, the cabin design of a turbojet, or the
course of a river? How do the idiosyncrasies of individual
engineers, companies, and communities leave their mark on projects
from Velcro (R) to fax machines to waterworks?Invention by Design
offers an insider's look at these political and cultural dimensions
of design and development, production and construction. Readers
unfamiliar with engineering will find Petroski's enthusiasm
contagious, whether the topic is the genesis of the Ziploc baggie
or the averted collapse of Manhattan's sleekest skyscraper. And
those who inhabit the world of engineering will discover insights
to challenge their customary perspective, whether their work
involves failure analysis, systems design, or public relations.
Written with the flair that readers have come to expect from his
books, Invention by Design reaffirms Petroski as the master
explicator of the principles and processes that turn thoughts into
the many things that define our made world.
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