Sir Robert Robinson was among the last of the great organic chemists in the classical tradition, achieving brilliant results with extremely simple apparatus. In this area he may be compared with Ernest Rutherford and his colleagues at the Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge, who revolutionized atomic physics with equipment based on `string and sealing wax'. This biography examines Robinson's long and distinguished career, from his academic achievements to his work in the chemical industry, and illustrates his complex personality.

Covers all aspects of twentieth-century technology, including developments which are essentially products of this century -- such as aeronautics and computers -- as well as those that have roots in the past. While the emphasis is on technological innovation, attention is directed also to the social, economic, and political factors influencing recent industrial developments.