An amiable ramble past some of the quirkier highlights in the history of invention.
Descriptions of over three dozen historical inventions—a few of which, at least, have turned out to be not as harebrained as they may seem at first glance.
Pride of place goes, of course, to Leonardo da Vinci, though other eccentric visionaries such as Heron of Alexandria (a mysteriously self-opening door) and Nikola Tesla (planetwide wireless electric power) earn nods. Along with a squadron of vehicles that would (supposedly) fly or float into the air, the authors present a variety of ancient timepieces, including one that used scents, oddball vehicles driven by steam, a device that sorts small candies by color, the once-renowned chess-playing (fake) automaton known as the “Mechanical Turk,” an LP record made of ice, a flatulence deodorizer, and like oddities. Nearly all of these saw at least experimental models—though, in the case of Leonardo’s ornithopter, not until 2010. The entries are arranged in no particular order. Most come with labeled schematic illustrations of the invention and, on the following pages, a broader cityscape or other scene featuring witnesses offering humorous comments or critical observations (“We forgot to add brakes!”). Human figures are all caricatures, European of features except for one group of Chinese.
An amiable ramble past some of the quirkier highlights in the history of invention. (Nonfiction. 10-13)Pub Date: March 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-77657-170-3
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Gecko Press
Review Posted Online: Nov. 21, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2017
The authors set themselves an ambitious goal: general explanations of the Big Bang, along with star birth, death, types,...
This slender survey of the observable universe spreads itself a little thin but features plenty of foldouts and dramatic sky art.
The authors set themselves an ambitious goal: general explanations of the Big Bang, along with star birth, death, types, clusters and systems, followed by a look at our closest stellar neighbor. They also pause for quick mentions of artificial satellites, seasons, the water cycle, the visible spectrum, the science and technology of modern astronomy, dark matter, eclipses and our planet’s magnetosphere. Even with 10 single or double gatefolds, the level of detail never gets more than skin deep—though the authors do manage to squeeze in some select facts, such as the average temperatures of our Sun’s layers and a clear if compressed picture of how fusion works. On full but not crowded-looking pages, the captions, vocabulary words and digestible blocks of text are set into and around an engagingly diverse mix of cutaway views, digital paintings and eye-widening deep-space photographs. Closing with general advice for amateur stargazers, plus lists of recommended print and Web resources, supplemented (for readers with smartphones) by three barcode tags linked to downloadable videos and other add-ons, there’s plenty here to stimulate both random browsers and confirmed young sky watchers.Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4027-7709-7
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Sterling
Review Posted Online: Aug. 23, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
A well written, admiring and thought-provoking portrait.
The biography of an exceptional woman who, remarkably, made use of her condition to discover her calling and changed her own and many animals’ lives.
From earliest childhood, Dr. Temple Grandin, professor of animal science at Colorado State University, stood out with her “odd” ways. Her own father wanted to institutionalize his “retarded” child. Luckily Temple had friends who appreciated her creative mind and a mother who steadfastly believed in her and sought out schools, teachers and therapists who began to help develop her many talents, including a fierce intellect. A kindly high-school teacher led her to realize that her career lay in science. Today Grandin is a world authority and consultant on the respectful, humane treatment of animals raised for food and has designed groundbreaking facilities and equipment that protect livestock from fear and suffering—because her autism permits her to think the way animals do. (Animal lovers particularly may find some descriptions of ranching and slaughterhouse practices hard to take.)Montgomery makes a compelling argument that though one never outgrows autism, it doesn’t condemn those who have it to unproductive lives, and an appendix, "Temple’s Advice for Kids on the Spectrum," provides first-hand wisdom. Photos and diagrams depict Grandin's work as well as documenting her early life and career.
A well written, admiring and thought-provoking portrait. (foreword by Grandin, index, facts about autism and factory farming) (Nonfiction. 10-13)Pub Date: April 3, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-547-44315-7
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 4, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2012
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