100 Innovations of the Industrial Revolution: From 1700 to 1860 (Haynes Manuals)

I must have 50 books on the Industrial Revolution and usually avoid books with Light coverage but I was truly surprised by the information i did not know that was presented in this book. A much better book than I expected.

Rather than focusing on a single vehicle, building, or historical subject, Haynes has taken a different tack with this book, choosing to present a broad look at the Industrial Revolution. Starting with Abraham Darby's Iron foundry and ending with Isambard Kingdom Brunel's Royal Albert Bridge, it chronologically presents a surprisingly wide variety of topics, from winnowing machines and swing aqueducts to Portland Cement, tin cans, screw-pile lighthouses, and hydraulic presses. Each innovation receives a few paragraphs of basic history, a little bit about how it worked, and occasionally a paragraph or two about its inventor. Each entry receives at least one photograph or a period illustration; the two-page entries usually have at least two photos and sometimes a map or diagram. Quite a few of the historic structures described are still around, and in those cases, there's a photograph of it in its current condition.In this case, I think the preview images and table of contents do a better job at explaining this book's format than I ever could. This isn't a Haynes "manual" like their vehicle books, and anyone looking for detailed technical information will probably be disappointed. It sets out what it was intended to do and does a pretty decent job in the process, making for an entertaining browsing book rather than something read cover to cover. I would have liked more diagrams, which I usually find to be far more intuitive at describing an object's inner workings than a photograph could ever be.

The industrial revolution has, and still is, changing our lives in many ways. Simon Forty tells the story of one hundred projects, inventions and structures that were part of this change in the first 150 years of the industrial revolution. Most of these structures are still standing today. Each story gets one or two pages with two or three good photographs. The stories cover a wide range of topics including: ten factories, nine textile machines, eight industrial machines, eight railroads, eight canals, six steam boats, four lighthouses, four agricultural machines and many other objects.However, there are many places were this book falls short from its goal. Many of the "inventions" were not really inventions at all. Some of the projects (such as some early locomotives) were evolutionary rather than revolutionary. Some projects were commercial failures, although they may have inspired other inventers to do better. The desire to write about the TOP ONE HUNDRED most significant inventions is a mater of opinion, but the author has focused primarily on the British Islands with only fourteen items from the United States, and one (failed) steam boat from mainland Europe. I was not impressed with the significance of many of his choices, and disappointed that he left out some other more important inventions. Some of the stories have left out some of the more important details. The book does not have a bibliography.Readers who are interested in the story of inventions will really enjoy "Machines that Built America" by Rodger Burlingame, c. 1953 . Readers who want a detailed story about lots of inventions and projects should read the five-volume "a History of Technology", Volumes III, IV and V, edited by Charles Singer, E. Holmyard, A. Hall and Trevor Williams, c. 1958.

Great Read ,when did Haynes ever produce a book that was terrible

Adequate basic info of many most influential innovations ( 100 ) of early industrial revolution. While any such list can only be subjective, a consensus would surely include most if not all innovations listed in this easy to understand book. As part of a larger series of books in this format ( Haynes Manuals ) by Haynes Publishing, this is a fine addition to their wonderful series.

it was for a present for a person whos interested in that era

This is a well illustrated volume but would have been better to concentrate on fewer subjects in greater depth.

What a cracking book, it now need a sequal, for newer innovation.