History of engineering and technology Books

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Book Synopsis** Featured as a Guardian Long Read **'[A] fast-paced, myth busting exposé' Max Blumenthal, author of The Management of Savagery'Contentious... forceful... salutary' The New YorkerEVERYTHING WE HAVE BEEN TOLD ABOUT THE DEMOCRATIC NATURE OF THE INTERNET IS A MARKETING PLOY.As the Cambridge Analytica scandal has shown, private corporations consider it their right to use our data (and by extension, us) which ever way they see fit. Tempted by their appealing organisational and diagnostic tools, we have allowed private internet corporations access to the most intimate corners of our lives.But the internet was developed, from the outset, as a weapon.Looking at the hidden origins of many internet corporations and platforms, Levine shows that this is a function, not a bug of the online experience. Conceived as a surveillance tool by ARPA to control insurgents in the Vietnam War, the internet is now essential to our lives. This book investigates the troubling and unavoidable truth of its history and the unfathomable power of the corporations who now more or less own it.Without this book, your picture of contemporary society will be missing an essential piece of the puzzle.'A masterful job of research and reporting about the military origins of the 'world wide web' and how its essential nature has not changed in the years since its creation during the Cold War.' - Tim Shorrock, author of Spies For HireTrade ReviewContentious... forceful... salutary * The New Yorker *'Surveillance Valley is perhaps one of the most deeply disturbing books of the year. It leaves no illusions intact ...' -- Scroll.inGripping and hugely readable, Surveillance Valley is an essential book which painstakingly pieces together the complex origins, and current role, of a technology that has become so ingrained in our lives -- All About History

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Book SynopsisThe home computer boom of the 1980s brought with it now iconic machines such as the ZX Spectrum, BBC Micro, and Commodore 64. The Computers That Made Britain tells the story of 19 of those machines, and what was actually going on behind the scenes.

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Book SynopsisOne day in the spring of 2013, a box appeared outside a fourth-floor apartment door in Brooklyn, New York. The recipient, who didn't know the sender, only knew she was supposed to bring this box to a friend, who would ferry it to another friend. This was Edward Snowden's box-printouts of documents proving that the US government had built a massive surveillance apparatus and used it to spy on its own people-and the friend on the end of this chain was filmmaker Laura Poitras.Thus the biggest national security leak of the digital era was launched via a remarkably analog network, the US Postal Service. This is just one of the odd, ironic details that emerges from the story of how Jessica Bruder and Dale Maharidge, two experienced journalists but security novices (and the friends who received and ferried the box) got drawn into the Snowden story as behind-the-scenes players. Their initially stumbling, increasingly paranoid, and sometimes comic efforts to help bring Snowden's leaks to light, and ultimately, to understand their significance, unfold in an engrossing narrative that includes emails and diary entries from Poitras. This is an illuminating essay on the status of transparency, privacy, and trust in the age of surveillance.Trade ReviewI've read virtually all of the books about the Snowden leaks, but this one stands apart.A beautifully written, gripping new book. -- Cory Doctorow * Boing Boing *A short, yet fluent and well-researched, work from a duo of US-based investigative journalists...despite the title, 'Snowden's Box' is essentially not about the box as such, but, as the authors themselves, acknowledge, about some of the most powerful analogue technology in the world: human relationships. -- Vitali Vitaliev * Engineering & Technology *The story of Edward Snowden's disclosure of NSA secrets to the press has been told and retold in books, films, and countless articles. Left unreported has been the quiet role of [Jessica Bruder and Dale Maharidge] who literally had Snowden material mailed to them in a cardboard box.[In Snowden's Box], the duo finally tells their story of beginners' encryption, convoluted codewords, and extreme paranoia. -- Sam Biddle * The Intercept *A gonzo story, told with a sense of humour...Bruder and Maharidge tell a good yarn and make a strong case against government surveillance. They argue that everybody should have something to hide. * Morning Star *The simplest human connections are sometimes vitally important for journalists to carry out their work beyond the gaze of the spying agencies. Bruder and Maharige's book is a timely reminder of this fact. * Counterfire *

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Book SynopsisIn the first cultural and political history of the Russian nuclear age, Paul Josephson describes the rise of nuclear physics in the USSR, the enthusiastic pursuit of military and peaceful nuclear programs through the Chernobyl disaster and the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the ongoing, self-proclaimed renaissance' of nuclear power in Russia in the 21st century. At the height of their power, the Soviets commanded 39,000 nuclear warheads, yet claimed to be servants of the peaceful atom' which they also pursued avidly. This book examines both military and peaceful Soviet and post-Soviet nuclear programs for the long durée before the war, during the Cold War, and in Russia to the present whilst also grappling with the political and ideological importance of nuclear technologies, the associated economic goals, the social and environmental costs, and the cultural embrace of nuclear power. Nuclear Russia probes the juncture of history of science and technology, political and cTrade ReviewThe nuclear complex of Russia has not come to an end, to the contrary: its military and civilian arms continue to expand threating both the global political order and the environment. Nuclear Russia unfolds the entangled history of this socio-technical complex from the February Revolution of 1917 to the present, its knowledge and engineering orders, nuclear warheads and military facilities, actors and reactors, and above all its political, economic, environmental and cultural ramifications. This most timely book is a great pleasure to read. * Helmuth Trischler, Prof. Dr., Rachel Carson Center and Deutsches Museum, Munich, Germany *One can hardly imagine a better guide to Russian nuclear power than Paul R. Josephson. Attention to Ukraine is particularly welcome in the wake of Russia’s devastating invasion and attendant risk of nuclear disaster. * Matthew Evangelista, President White Professor of History and Political Science, Cornell University, USA *Nuclear Russia: The Atom in Russian Politics and Culture more than succeeds in its goal of stimulating readers to think deeply about the cultural and political roles of nuclear physics, weapons, and energy in the Russian empire of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries (p. ii)… Provides an excellent overview of a complex subject that remains all too timely and relevant. * H-Net Reviews *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations 1. Nuclear Bolshevism 2. Nuclear Defense 3. Nuclear Peace 4. Nuclear Hubris 5. Nuclear Disintegration 6. Nuclear Renaissance Index

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Book SynopsisFully illustrated throughout, The Supercar Book is a sumptuously designed guide full of everything you could ever want to know about the best supercars on the planet.From number-one bestselling author Martin Roach, The Supercar Book is a must-have for all boys and their dads (plus petrol-head girls and mums!) interested in fast cars.With an introduction from F1 racing legend David Coulthard, as well as contributions from the biggest names in the field, this tour de force starts with the iconic 1954 Mercedes Gullwing and races through each respective decade of supercar history, showcasing the very best and most important vehicles in this scintillating species. Featuring the landmark 10 game-changers that have defined the genre and highlighting dozens and dozens of supreme supercars from the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Pagani, McLaren and Porsche, get ready to be blown away by the beauty and power of these incredible vehicles.With a pre-history of the genre plus an excursion into American muscle cars, this comprehensive book takes us underneath the bonnets and peels back the bodywork of these mind-blowing machines, as well as exploring how supercar technology has affected everyday cars.The Supercar Book is a tour de force of the fastest, the most powerful and the most drop-dead gorgeous vehicles in supercar history. Jam-packed with almost 200 full-colour photographs, awe-inspiring statistics and exclusive interviews with supercar experts, and featuring every landmark star of the genre, this book is the ultimate guide for every supercar fanatic.Trade Review‘The best book out there on supercars. A real page-turner’ – David Coulthard

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Book SynopsisChristian Wolmar is an award-winning writer and broadcaster specialising in transport and is the author of a series of books on railway history. Former transport correspondent for The Independent, he is acknowledged as one of the UK's leading commentators on transport matters. He broadcasts frequently on radio and TV and is a regular pundit on the national news bulletins of terrestrial channels and Sky. He has written more than 20 books, mainly on railway history, and presents the Calling All Stations podcast.

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Book SynopsisTHE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA compelling vision of where the internet should go and how to get there.' Sam Altman, CEO, OpenAIThe promise of the internet has been stolen. Over the last decade, a handful of giant companies like Facebook and Google have seized control of the web sapping its dynamism and taking its profits for themselves. But there is a way to take it back. Here, a leading Silicon Valley investor argues that blockchains the radically free and democratic new type of software design that underpins web3' could return financial and decision-making power to the internet's users. For the first time, we won't just read and write on the internet we will own it, too. A must for anyone who wants to better understand the real potential of blockchains and web3.' Bob Iger, CEO, DisneyA refreshing and radical new take at a time when we need fresh thinking more than ever.' Mustafa Suleyman, co-founder of DeepMind and author of The Coming WaveThe most elegant and sophisticated argument for blockchain to date . . . Shines as a history of computing and the internet.' Fortune

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Book SynopsisStarting with a short history of computing on the eve of World War II, this book illuminates humanity's desire for calculation aids throughout history, and how that led to the the computers from that time up to the computers of the Cold War Era.

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Book Synopsis''Celebrates human cognitive diversity, and is rich with empathy and psychological insight'' Steven Pinker ''Bold, intriguing, profound'' Jay Elwes, Spectator Why can humans alone invent? In this book, psychologist and world renowned autism expert Simon Baron-Cohen puts forward a bold new theory: because we can identify patterns, specifically if-and-then patterns. Baron-Cohen argues that the genes for this unique ability overlap with the genes for autism and have driven human progress for 70,000 years. From the first musical instruments to the agricultural, industrial, and digital revolutions, Pattern Seekers links one of our greatest human strengths with a condition that is so often misunderstood and challenges us to think differently about those who think differently.Trade ReviewAmbitious and provocative...goes beyond the usual discussion of 'special gifts' in autism to propose that the diversity of human operating systems has accelerated the advancement of human civilization and culture in ways we can barely imagine. -- Steve Silberman, author of NeuroTribesIt's rare to come across a surprising new idea that explains important phenomena, but Simon Baron-Cohen's exploration of abstract pattern-seeking in human affairs is one of them. This book sheds light on one of humanity's most distinctive traits, celebrates human cognitive diversity, and is rich with empathy and psychological insight. -- Steven Pinker, author of How the Mind WorksA game-changing book, a passport into exploring the world of innovation and creativity. Most importantly, it celebrates autistic people and is a call for action, to welcome neurodiversity. -- David Joseph, Chairman and CEO Universal Music UKA fascinating account of the mechanisms underlying the related capacities of both autistic individuals and innovators. -- Brian Josephson, winner of the Nobel Prize in physicsErudite, illuminating...His bold new idea, that the genes for autism drove the evolution of human invention, places this disability centre stage in the story of humans. -- Jools HollandBased on massive research, Simon Baron-Cohen argues that most of us are specialized in how we perceive the world around us. There are those who focus on people and those who focus on things. The author makes a compelling case that the second kind of mind-the pattern seeker-is at the root of modern human civilization. -- Frans de Waal, author of The Age of EmpathyDestined to become a classic...In an age of increasing specialization, Baron-Cohen's book comes as a breath of fresh air. -- VS Ramachandran * author of the Tell Tale Brain *Bold, intriguing, profound. -- Jay Elwes * Spectator *A wonderful, lyrical celebration of the autistic mind. -- Alice Thomson * Times *

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Book SynopsisPreventing another Great Stink – the legacy of Sir Joseph Bazelgette and the Thames Tideway TunnelTrade ReviewDelighted that [Phil is] writing the book . . . so important to capture the learning from this fantastic project. -- Victoria BorwickA fascinating account of the trials, hazards and occasional perils of making the greatest contribution to the cleansing of the Thames since Sir Joseph Bazalgette in Victorian times, written by one who was at the centre of the operation. -- Dr Stephen HallidayA fascinating insight into how communities can help shape big infrastructure projects. -- Justine GreeningA comprehensive and authoritative overview of one of the great engineering projects of our time, written by someone who was at the heart of the action from the outset. -- Nick Raynsford

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Book SynopsisIn this eagerly anticipated book, renowned space historian and author David Baker turns his attention to the Saturn I and IB rockets. Although considered as merely a ''stepping stone'' from the Mercury and Gemini programmes to the mighty Saturn V and the Apollo missions that put the first humans on the Moon, the Saturn I and IB rockets actually played a far more significant role in NASA''s manned space effort.As the first American ''heavy lift'' rocket , Wernher von Braun''s Saturn I traced its lineage right back to his WWII V2 rocket, through Redstone to the Jupiter and Juno projects that lead to the Saturn vehicles. In describing this often-overlooked historical background, the story of the transition of the space programme from the US Army to the (then) newly-formed NASA, and the evolution from launching men and satellites on modified missiles, to flying purpose-built space rockets, is also uncovered.The first Saturn I flew in 1961 and it remained in service until 1975, flying the first manned Apollo mission, testing stages for the Moon flights and launching ''Skylab'' astronauts amongst other accomplishments. Illustrated throughout with NASA technical drawings and photographs, many previously unpublished, this absorbing book also includes a description of each mission flown by the Saturn I and IB.

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Book Synopsis*SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE 2023**AS HEARD ON RADIO 4 START THE WEEK, OFF AIR WITH FI AND JANE AND 99% INVISIBLE*'Delightful' TIM HARFORD, FINANCIAL TIMES'Appeals to the nerdy side of just about all of us... a great book to give' JANE GARVEY'A splendid book: clearly written, elegantly structured and full of facts you are unlikely to chance on anywhere else' DAILY MAILSmartphones, skyscrapers, spacecraft. Modern technology seems mind-bogglingly complex. But beneath the surface, it can be beautifully simple.In Nuts and Bolts, award-winning Shard engineer and broadcaster Roma Agrawal deconstructs our most complex feats of engineering into seven fundamental inventions: the nail, spring, wheel, lens, magnet, string and pump. Each of these objects is itself a wonder of design, the result of many iterations and refinements. Together, they have enabled humanity to see the invisible, build the spectacular, communicate across vast distances, and even escape our planet.Tracing the surprising journeys of each invention through the millennia, Roma reveals how handmade Roman nails led to modern skyscrapers, how the potter's wheel enabled space exploration, and how humble lenses helped her conceive a child against the odds.She invites us to marvel at these small but perfectly formed inventions, sharing the stories of the remarkable, and often unknown, scientists and engineers who made them possible. The nuts and bolts that make up our world may be tiny, and are often hidden, but they've changed our lives in dramatic ways.'A wonderful book' MARK MIODOWNIK'A masterclass in storytelling' JESS WADE'A riveting love letter to the small, wonderful, and mundane things that make the modern world.' ROMAN MARS

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Book Synopsis'It's rare for a book to make you see the world differently, but this ... does exactly that on almost every page' Guardian Standard histories of technology give tired accounts of the usual inventions, inventors, and dates, framing technology as the inevitable march of progress. They split history into ages - electrification, motorisation, and computerisation - and rarely ask whether anyone bothered to use these inventions at the time. Shock of the Old is not one of those histories. I Letters exist alongside emails and outlasted telegrams; we still make physical books and magazines despite the rise of the Internet - a belated rise considering that the technologies that made it possible was invented in 1965, and bookshops thrive despite Amazon. More horses were used in the Second World War than any other war in history and propeller planes continue to take off from the same runways as jets. Shock of the Old forces us to reassess the significance of old inventions such as corrugated iron and sewing machines and rethink the relative importance we place on the invention of something new, its application, and its widespread adoption. It challenges the idea that we live in an era of ever increasing change and, interweaving political, economic and cultural history, teaches us to think critically about technology.Trade Reviewhe eviscerates our obsession with novelty... * The Sunday Times *newfangled things are sexy, but how significant are they?...Edgerton provides a corrective by emphasising some of the overlooked technologies that affect the lives of many. * Newsweek *David Edgerton's The Shock of the Old is a book I can use. I can take it in two hands and bash it over the heads of every techno-nerd, computer geek and neophiliac futurologist I meet. -- Simon Jenkins * Guardian *...iconoclastic and thought-provoking book...he makes a strong case that accords with what Virgil identified around 25BC as a definitive human characteristic. Our lives consist of semper cedentia retro: always going forwards backwards. * The Times *It's rare for a book to make you see the world differently, but this alternative history does exactly that on almost every page. * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisFirst book to include the role of women in civil aviation's 100-year history. The first book to include all aspects of civial aviation in a single volume.

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Book SynopsisIn 1450, all Europe''s books were handcopied and amounted to only a few thousand. By 1500 they were printed, and numbered in their millions. The invention of one man - Johann Gutenberg - had caused a revolution. Printing by movable type was a discovery waiting to happen.Born in 1400 in Mainz, Germany, Gutenberg struggled against a background of plague and religious upheaval to bring his remarkable invention to light. His story is full of paradox: his ambition was to reunite all Christendom, but his invention shattered it; he aimed to make a fortune, but was cruelly denied the fruits of his life''s work. Yet history remembers him as a visionary; his discovery marks the beginning of the modern world.Trade ReviewThe Gutenberg Revolution is the best book about the origin of books you could read. It is clear, engaging, fast-paced and authoritative. * Stephen Fry *Extremely erudite and enormously enthusiastic * Guardian *Vivid . . . engaging, detailed and highly readable . . . a window on an extraordinary display of consummate skill and creative genius * New Scientist *

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Book SynopsisBest Books of 2024, The EconomistFrom the codebreakers and problem solvers, to the engineers, mathematicians and other problem-solvers what the secret world can teach us about performance and creativity How do you hire smart people who can work together to prevent terrorist attacks and decode encrypted technology?How do you come up with creative, counterintuitive solutions to solve major global problems?How do you provide the right environment for these people to thrive and work at their best when under immense pressure?Written by Robert Hannigan, the former Director of GCHQ, this book explores the role of the counter-intelligence services in history and today's world from the codebreakers and problem solvers, to innovation and creativity, secrecy and transparency and the global tech community. It will trace the history of counter-intelligence from the early days of Bletchley Park, to the ongoing work of GCHQ while reflecting on some of the unique characteristics of the engineers, mathematicians and other problem-solvers that make up the world's intelligence community.An exhaustive and authoritative account of the history of counter-intelligence from Bletchley Park to modern day GCHQ, this brilliant and unique book will appeal to business readers, history readers and fans of smart thinking and big ideas around the world.

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Book SynopsisThe authoritative and fascinating history of the rise and fall of the state-owned British Rail''Wolmar''s book is impeccably organised and makes a fast, enjoyable read'' THE TIMES Literary Supplement________British Rail wasn''t how we''re asked to remember it . . .From ancient rolling stock to patchy service, stale sandwiches to the wrong kind of snow, British Rail - our last great state-owned organisation to be privatised - has received a terrible press.But after its controversial 1948 creation, British Rail was actually an innovative powerhouse that over five decades transformed the UK, creating one of the fastest regular rail services in the world.Award-winning journalist Christian Wolmar takes us from promise to punchline, exploring British Rail''s birth into post-war austerity, the many battles and struggles to evolve what many considered to be a dinosaur, and how, at the height of its success, the service was misunderstood and unfairly maligned, ruthlessly broken up and privatised._______Praise for Christian Wolmar''Wolmar is the high priest of railway studies'' Literary Review''The greatest expert on British trains'' Guardian''Our most eminent transport journalist'' Spectator''If the world''s railways have a laureate, it is surely Christian Wolmar'' Boston Globe ''Christian Wolmar is in love with the railways. He writes constantly and passionately about them. He is their wisest, most detailed historian and a constant prophet of their rebirth . . . if you love the hum of the wheels and of history, then Christian Wolmar is your man'' ObserverTrade ReviewWolmar's book is impeccably organized and makes a fast, enjoyable read * The Times Literary Supplement *Wolmar is the high priest of railway studies * Literary Review *Praise for Christian Wolmar * - *The greatest expert on British trains * The Guardian *Our most eminent transport journalist * The Spectator *

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Book SynopsisThe Repair Shop''s Dominic Chinea takes you on an exploration of 100 essential machines found in the workshops and studios of the world''s finest artisans and heritage craftspeople. Filled with stunning illustrations and lively, engaging text, The Repair Shop''s Dom Chinea guides readers through this celebration of the history and uses of 100 machines that have allowed artisans to create beautiful items for centuries.Fans of prime-time TV series The Repair Shop and Make It at Market will not want to miss Dom's insightful and complete appraisal of history's most game-changing mechanisms, with commentary that allows readers to get under the hood of inventions that have defined modern life as we know it.Immerse yourself in the visual history of the world's most remarkable machines: The sequel to 2022's Tools: A Visual History. Explores inventions from the potter''s wheel and grain mill to the sewing machine, printing press, wheel maker and plenty more. Each machine is creatively profiled and deconstructed in pinpoint detail, with Dom Chinea's trademark insight and commentary. Striking illustrations by award-winning artist Lee John Philips highlight the beauty of each tool. A beautiful gift book with a vintage design. Each machine has a fascinating history and story to tell that highlights its contribution to artisanal crafts. And with every machine accompanied by beautifully ornate illustrations by Lee John Philips, Machines: A Visual History is certain to be a treasured volume for all creators, craftspeople and those who like to delve into how things work.

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Book SynopsisProfusely illustrated throughout, a worthy addition to the Veloce Pictorial History series. Each BMW model (1945-2013) has been painstakingly researched detailing body derivatives, production changes, technical information and hundreds of period photos and diagrams, plus how the ever-changing advertising was used to promote each model.

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Book SynopsisNew in-depth researchInformative, factual textAnecdotal storiesInteresting selection of illustrationsGood index

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Book SynopsisDrawing upon art, science, philosophy, and the history of culture, this title explains the origin of the machine age and traces its social results, asserting that the development of modern technology had its roots in the Middle Ages rather than the Industrial Revolution.Trade Review"The questions posed in the first paragraph of Technics and Civilization still deserve our attention, nearly three-quarters of a century after they were written." - Technology and Culture "A brilliant historical and critical account of the effect of the artificial environment on man and of man on the environment, a necessary account, one for which we have waited too long in English." - New York Times"

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Book SynopsisThe Jaguar D-type helped to establish the Coventry marque’s place in Le Mans 24 Hours folklore, thanks to three successive victories between 1955 and 1957. With its long, elegantly sculptured bonnet and distinctive tail fin, the D-type quickly became one of the world’s most recognizable sports racers – as well as one of the most successful in period.Jaguar D-type focuses on the fascinating history of XKD 526, one of only three D-types registered new in Australia. While its competition pedigree was forged at some internationally celebrated circuits – Bathurst and Longford, for instance – it also raced at delightfully named bygones such as Gnoo Blas and Catalina Park. This is a comprehensive history of its distinguished track record.

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Book SynopsisThe definitive history of the Porsche 991-series 911s, with all major markets looked at in detail to cover all variants and put the story into perspective. Illustrated throughout with contemporary photography sourced from the factory, this book serves as the perfect guide to this best-selling 911 generation in all its forms. Written by an acknowledged Porsche expert, with the full co-operation of the factory.

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Book SynopsisL. T. C. Rolt was born at Chester in 1910. After his education at Cheltenham College he embarked on am engineering career, until he decided to turn to writing. Among his many publications were biographies of Thomas Telford and George and Robert Stevenson (both published by Penguin). Mr Rolt died in 1974.

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Book SynopsisGeorge Dyson''s fascinating account of the early years of computers: Turing''s Cathedral is the story behind how the PC, ipod, smartphone and almost every aspect of modern life came into being.In 1945 a small group of brilliant engineers and mathematicians gathered at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, determined to build a computer that would make Alan Turing''s theory of a ''universal machine'' reality. Led by the polymath émigré John von Neumann, they created the numerical framework that underpins almost all modern computing - and ensured that the world would never be the same again.George Dyson is a historian of technology whose interests include the development (and redevelopment) of the Aleut kayak. He is the author of Baidarka; Project Orion; and Darwin Among the Machines.''Unusual, wonderful, visionary'' Francis Spufford, Guardian''Fascinating . . . the story Dyson tells is intensely human . . . a grippiTrade ReviewRiveting . . . conveys the electrifying sense of possibility that the first computers unleashed . . . a page-turner * New Scientist *Brings to life a myriad cast of extraordinary characters, each of whom contributed to ushering in today's digital age * Daily Telegraph *An engrossing and well-researched book that recounts an important chapter in the history of 20th-century computing -- Evgeny Morozov * Observer *

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Book SynopsisRoughly half the world's population speaks languages derived from a shared linguistic source known as Proto-Indo-European. But who were the early speakers of this ancient mother tongue, and how did they manage to spread it around the globe? This title reveals how their domestication of horses and use of the wheel spread language.Trade ReviewWinner of the 2010 Book Award, Society for American Archaeology "David W. Anthony argues that we speak English not just because our parents taught it to us but because wild horses used to roam the steppes of central Eurasia, because steppedwellers invented the spoked wheel and because poetry once had real power... Anthony is not the first scholar to make the case that Proto-Indo-European came from this region [Ukraine/Russia], but given the immense array of evidence he presents, he may be the last one who has to... The Horse, the Wheel, and Language brings together the work of historical linguists and archaeologists, researchers who have traditionally been suspicious of each other's methods. [The book] lays out in intricate detail the complicated genealogy of history's most successful language."--Christine Kenneally, The New York Times Book Review "[A]uthoritative ... "--John Noble Wilford, New York Times "A thorough look at the cutting edge of anthropology, Anthony's book is a fascinating look into the origins of modern man."--Publishers Weekly (Online Reviews Annex) "In the age of Borat it may come as a surprise to learn that the grasslands between Ukraine and Kazakhstan were once regarded as an early crucible of civilisation. This idea is revisited in a major new study by David Anthony."--Times Higher Education "Starting with a history of research on Proto-Indo-Europeans and exploring how this field for obvious reasons assumed an ethno-political dimension early on, leading PIE scholar Anthony moves on to established facts ... then shifts his focus to the interrelation of the three essential elements of horse, chariot, and language and how the first and second provided the means for the spread of Indo-European languages from India to Ireland. The bulk of the book contains the factual evidence, mainly archaeological, to support this argument. But a strength of the book is its rich historical linguistic approach. The combination of the two provides a remarkable work that should appeal to everyone with an interest not just in Indo-Europeans, but in the history of humanity in general."--K. Abdi, Dartmouth College, for CHOICE "David Anthony's book is a masterpiece. A professor of anthropology, Anthony brings together archaeology, linguistics, and rare knowledge of Russian scholarship and the history of climate change to recast our understanding of the formation of early human society."--Martin Walker, Wilson Quarterly "The Horse, the Wheel, and Language brings together the work of historical linguists and archaeologists, researchers who have traditionally been suspicious of each other's methods. Though parts of the book will be penetrable only by scholars, it lays out in intricate detail the complicated genealogy of history's most successful language."--Christine Kenneally, International Herald Tribune "The Horse, the Wheel and Language maps the early geography of the Russian steppes to re-create the lost world of Indo-European culture that is as fascinating as any mystery novel."--Arthur Krim, Geographical Reviews "In its integration of language and archaeology, this book represents an outstanding synthesis of what today can be known with some certainty about the origin and early history of the Indo-European languages. In my view, it supersedes all previous attempts on the subject."--Kristian Kristiansen, Antiquity "A key book."--David Keys, IndependentTable of ContentsAcknowledgments xi PART ONE: Language and Archaeology 1 Chapter One: The Promise and Politics of the Mother Tongue 3 Ancestors 3 Linguists and Chauvinists 6 The Lure of the Mother Tongue 11 A New Solution for an Old Problem 15 Language Extinction and Thought 19 Chapter Two: How to Reconstruct a Dead Language 21 Language Change and Time 22 Phonology: How to Reconstruct a Dead Sound 24 The Lexicon: How to Reconstruct Dead Meanings 32 Syntax and Morphology: The Shape of a Dead Language 36 Conclusion: Raising a Language from the Dead 38 Chapter Three: Language and Time 1: The Last Speakers of Proto-Indo-European 39 The Size of the Chronological Window: How Long Do Languages Last? 39 The Terminal Date for Proto-Indo-European: The Mother Becomes Her Daughters 42 The Oldest and Strangest Daughter (or Cousin?): Anatolian 43 The Next Oldest Inscriptions: Greek and Old Indic 48 Counting the Relatives: How Many in 1500 BCE? 50 Chapter Four: Language and Time 2: Wool, Wheels, and Proto-Indo-European 59 The Wool Vocabulary 59 The Wheel Vocabulary 63 When Was the Wheel Invented 65 The Signifi cance of the Wheel 72 Wagons and the Anatolian Homeland Hypothesis 75 The Birth and Death of Proto-Indo-European 81 Chapter Five: Language and Place: The Location of the Proto-Indo-Europe an Homeland 83 Problems with the Concept of "the Homeland" 83 Finding the Homeland: Ecology and Environment 89 Finding the Homeland: The Economic and Social Setting 91 Finding the Homeland: Uralic and Caucasian Connections 93 The Location of the Proto-Indo-European Homeland 98 Chapter Six: The Archaeology of Language 102 Persistent Frontiers 104 Migration as a Cause of Persistent Material-Culture Frontiers 108 Ecological Frontiers: Different Ways of Making a Living 114 Small-scale Migrations, Elite Recruitment, and Language Shift 117 PART TWO: The Opening of the Eurasian Steppes 121 Chapter Seven: How to Reconstruct a Dead Culture 123 The Three Ages in the Pontic-Caspian Steppes 125 Dating and the Radiocarbon Revolution 126 What Did They Eat? 128 Archaeological Cultures and Living Cultures 130 The Big Questions Ahead 132 Chapter Eight: First Farmers and Herders: The Pontic-Caspian Neolithic 134 Domesticated Animals and Pontic-Caspian Ecol ogy 135 The First Farmer-Forager Frontier in the Pontic- Caspian Region 138 Farmer Meets Forager: The Bug-Dniester Culture 147 Beyond the Frontier: Pontic-Caspian Foragers before Cattle Arrived 154 The Gods Give Cattle 158 Chapter Nine: Cows, Copper, and Chiefs 160 The Early Copper Age in Old Europe 162 The Cucuteni-Tripolye Culture 164 The Dnieper-Donets II Culture 174 The Khvalynsk Culture on the Volga 182 Nalchik and North Caucasian Cultures 186 The Lower Don and North Caspian Steppes 188 The Forest Frontier: The Samara Culture 189 Cows, Social Power, and the Emergence of Tribes 190 Chapter Ten: The Domestication of the Horse and the Origins of Riding: The Tale of the Teeth 193 Where Were Horses First Domesticated? 196 Why Were Horses Domesticated? 200 What Is a Domesticated Horse? 201 Bit Wear and Horse back Riding 206 Indo-European Migrations and Bit Wear at Dereivka 213 Botai and Eneolithic Horseback Riding 216 The Origin of Horse back Riding 221 The Economic and Military Effects of Horseback Riding 222 Chapter Eleven: The End of Old Europe and the Rise of the Steppe 225 Warfare and Alliance: The Cucuteni-Tripolye Culture and the Steppes 230 The Sredni Stog Culture: Horses and Rituals from the East 239 Migrations into the Danube Valley: The Suvorovo-Novodanilovka Complex 249 Warfare, Climate Change, and Language Shift in the Lower Danube Valley 258 After the Collapse 260 Chapter Twelve: Seeds of Change on the Steppe Borders: Maikop Chiefs and Tripolye Towns 263 The Five Cultures of the Final Eneolithic in the Steppes 265 Crisis and Change on the Tripolye Frontier: Towns Bigger Than Cities 277 The First Cities and Their Connection to the Steppes 282 The North Caucasus Piedmont: Eneolithic Farmers before Maikop 285 The Maikop Culture 287 Maikop-Novosvobodnaya in the Steppes: Contacts with the North 295 Proto-Indo-European as a Regional Language in a Changing World 299 Chapter Thirteen: Wagon Dwellers of the Steppe: The Speakers of Proto-Indo-European 300 Why Not a Kurgan Culture? 306 Beyond the Eastern Frontier: The Afanasievo Migration to the Altai 307 Wagon Graves in the Steppes 311 Where Did the Yamnaya Horizon Begin? 317 When Did the Yamnaya Horizon Begin? 321 Were the Yamnaya People Nomads? 321 Yamnaya Social Organization 328 The Stone Stelae of the North Pontic Steppes 336 Chapter Fourteen: The Western Indo-European Languages 340 The End of the Cucuteni-Tripolye Culture and the Roots of the Western Branches 343 Steppe Overlords and Tripolye Clients: The Usatovo Culture 349 The Yamnaya Migration up the Danube Valley 361 Yamnaya Contacts with the Corded Ware Horizon 367 The Origins of Greek 368 Conclusion: The Early Western Indo-European Languages Disperse 369 Chapter Fifteen: Chariot Warriors of the Northern Steppes 371 The End of the Forest Frontier: Corded Ware Herders in the Forest 375 Pre-Sintashta Cultures of the Eastern Steppes 385 The Origin of the Sintashta Culture 389 Warfare in the Sintashta Culture: Fortifications and Weapons 393 Tournaments of Value 405 Sintashta and the Origins of the Aryans 408 Chapter Sixteen: The Opening of the Eurasian Steppes 412 Bronze Age Empires and the Horse Trade 412 The Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex 421 The Opening of the Eurasian Steppes 435 The Srubnaya Culture: Herding and Gathering in the Western Steppes 437 East of the Urals, Phase I: The Petrovka Culture 441 The Seima-Turbino Horizon in the Forest-Steppe Zone 443 East of the Urals, Phase II: The Andronovo Horizon 448 Proto-Vedic Cultures in the Central Asian Contact Zone 452 The Steppes Become a Bridge across Eurasia 456 Chapter Seventeen: Words and Deeds 458 The Horse and the Wheel 459 Archaeology and Language 463 Appendix: Author's Note on Radiocarbon Dates 467 Notes 471 References 507 Index 547

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Book Synopsis‘Superb coffee table book’ – Nintendo Life‘A fun read’ – Retro Gamer Take a trip down memory lane with Retro Gaming, and relive the glory days (and not so glory days) of your old retro tech favourites.Published in paperback to tie-in with 50 years of console gaming, Retro Gaming is packed with all the characters, games, consoles and franchises you used to love – and probably still do. This is a compact, conversational compendium of all-time highs – alongside just a handful of humorous (in hindsight) lows – from decades of arcade, computer, console and handheld hits.From Atari’s early arcade classics and home games consoles of the 1970s, through to classics that keep on giving, such as Halo and Tomb Raider, this book summarizes the significant releases, research and revolutions that have made video games a £100 billion (and rising) industry.Evergreen favourites from Nintendo, SEGA and Sony are present and correct – no collection would be complete without entries for Mario and Sonic, Tetris and Crash Bandicoot. But we also give credit to the less-celebrated but utterly vital titles, characters, controllers and systems that have helped the world of gaming expand and evolve.A guide, a companion and a window onto a joyous past, Retro Gaming is a perfect book to dip in and out of, as mood and your current gaming habits dictate.Trade ReviewA fun read that offers a brief snapshot into some of the biggest games and systems from that period. * Retro Gamer *Superb coffee table book. Packed with enlightening nuggets of info and loads of lovely images. The ideal way to quickly get yourself (or a loved one) up to speed on decades of games, systems and much, much more. * Nintendo Life *

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Book SynopsisIn this book the authors aim to endow the reader with an operational, conceptual, and methodological understanding of the discrete mathematics that can be used to study, understand, and perform computing. They want the reader to understand the elements of computing, rather than just know them. The basic topics are presented in a way that encourages readers to develop their personal way of thinking about mathematics. Many topics are developed at several levels, in a single voice, with sample applications from within the world of computing. Extensive historical and cultural asides emphasize the human side of mathematics and mathematicians.By means of lessons and exercises on “doing” mathematics, the book prepares interested readers to develop new concepts and invent new techniques and technologies that will enhance all aspects of computing. The book will be of value to students, scientists, and engineers engaged in the design and use of computing systems, and to scholars and practitioners beyond these technical fields who want to learn and apply novel computational ideas.Trade Review“The text is written in an easy to read format which generously incorporates narratives from the history of mathematics as well as rigorous proofs of the concepts presented. The appendices and references to other texts provide the reader with numerous sources of supplementary information for those wishing to delve into a subject at a deeper level … . chapters are organized and clearly labeled to express which sections are appropriate for a beginning learner, an intermediate learner, or the specialist.” (Tom French, MAA Reviews, October 3, 2021)“Each chapter comes with several exercises from easy to difficult, the latter with complete solutions in the appendix. To accommodate the book to readers with different backgrounds and goals, the authors provide a guide which gives paths through the book for several courses. The exposition is always clear and motivating, no prerequisites are presumed, all terms and concepts are defined precisely, and there are many look-and-see proofs.” (Dieter Riebesehl, zbMATH 1465.68004, 2021)Table of ContentsIntroduction.- “Doing” Mathematics: A Toolkit for Mathematical Reasoning.- Sets and Their Algebras: The Stem Cells of Mathematics.- Numbers I: The Basics of Our Number System.- Arithmetic: Putting Numbers to Work.- Summations: Complex Operations from Simple Components.- The Vertigo of Infinity: Handling the Very Large and the Infinite.- Numbers II: Building the Integers and Building with the Integers.- Recurrences: Rendering Complex Structure Manageable.- Numbers III: Operational Representations and Their Consequences.- The Art of Counting: Combinatorics, Probability, and Statistics.- Graphs I: Representing Relationships Mathematically.- Graphs II: Graphs Within Computation and Communication.- Solutions to Exercises.- App. A, Pairing Functions.- App. B, A Deeper Look at the Fibonacci Numbers.- App. C, Two Recurrence-Defined Number Families.- App. D, Signed-Digit Numerals: Carry-Free Addition.- App. E, The Diverse Delights of de Bruijn Networks.- List of Symbols.- References.- Index.

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Book SynopsisPublished in conjunction with TFL, this is a comprehensive, updated guide to the London Underground, combining a historical overview, illustrations and newly commissioned photography.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 Steam Underground 2 Deeper Underground 3 Twentieth-Century Electric 4 In to Work, Out to Live 5 Combining it All 6 War and Austerity 7 Towards a New Tube 8 Renewal Timeline Index Further Reading

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Book Synopsis*Longlisted for the William MB Berger Prize for British Art History, 2022*A spectacular biography of the great designer, entrepreneur, abolitionist and beacon of the Industrial Revolution, from acclaimed historian and Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum, Tristram HuntJosiah Wedgwood, perhaps the greatest English potter who ever lived, epitomized the best of his age. From his kilns and workshops in Stoke-on-Trent, he revolutionized the production of ceramics in Georgian Britain by marrying technology with design, manufacturing efficiency and retail flair. He transformed the luxury markets not only of London, Liverpool, Bath and Dublin but of America and the world, and helping to usher in a mass consumer society. Tristram Hunt calls him ''the Steve Jobs of the eighteenth century''.But Wedgwood was radical in his mind and politics as well as in his designs. He campaigned for free trade and religious toleration, read pioneering papers to the Royal Society and was a member of the celebrated Lunar Society of Birmingham. Most significantly, he created the ceramic ''Emancipation Badge'', depicting a slave in chains and inscribed ''Am I Not a Man and a Brother?'' that became the symbol of the abolitionist movement.Tristram Hunt''s hugely enjoyable new biography, strongly based on Wedgwood''s notebooks, letters and the words of his contemporaries, brilliantly captures the energy and originality of Wedgwood and his extraordinary contribution to the transformation of eighteenth-century Britain.Trade ReviewThis is a remarkable and impassioned book. Josiah Wedgwood innovated across boundaries of technology and art and taste, commerce and scientific enquiry, and Tristram Hunt makes the powerful case for rediscovering his humane entrepreneurial spirit. The Radical Potter brings Wedgwood's protean energy alive for a new generation and I loved it. -- Edmund de Waalimpassioned, wide-ranging ... Hunt's sympathetic, engaged and finely written biography makes it clear that [Wedgwood] was a one-off, and a genius. -- David Horspool * Spectator *fabulously unputdownable ... In parts it reads like a thriller. -- Judith Woods * Telegraph *Wedgwood's remarkable story has been told in many biographies over the years. The great contribution of The Radical Potter, Tristram Hunt's new book, is to place him in the context of the rapid economic and social changes during his lifetime that helped make his success possible. -- Richard Lambert * Financial Times *this brisk and highly readable biography ... places Wedgwood in a dissenting tradition that goes back to the civil wars ... It is a timely tale. -- Paul Lay * The Times *engrossing ... Hunt, as director of the Victoria and Albert Museum and MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central from 2010 to 2017, is uniquely fitted to write this book. -- John Carey * Sunday Times *superb ... this delicious, meticulously researched, wide-ranging but never long-winded book made me admire Tristram Hunt as well as Josiah Wedgwood. -- Ysenda Maxtone Graham * Daily Mail *Hunt is exquisitely alive to all the contradictions in Wedgwood's achievements ... a rich portrait of the charismatic but contradictory man who made Georgian Britain the most stylish country in the world -- Kathryn Hughes * Mail on Sunday *One of the achievements of Tristram Hunt's biography... is too bring into view the commercial and moral instincts of the man behind the powerhouse ... Wedgwood emerges from this books as a man of voracious interest in the world. Canny and determined, he had both strong beliefs and the adaptability that marks any great innovator. Hunt ... is as interested in what the man can tell us about the times as the times meant for the man. -- Sarah Watling * Literary Review *Tristram Hunt, one of our finest historians, has done a magnificent job in The Radical Potter. Every chapter made me cheer and halloo. -- A. N. Wilson * Spectator Books of the Year *this attractively packaged ... splendid... biography of ceramics impresario Josiah Wedgwood ... reminds us not only of what has been lost in terms of manufacturing, but what can be regained. -- Jacqueline Riding * Country Life *Hunt performs the important task of telling the great potter's story clearly and accessibly ... Wedgwood the man should be as famous as Wedgwood the brand. That he is not might be due to his business - there are more heroic and glamorous trades than making pots - and to the national tendency to undervalue manufacturing. Hunt's book should help to correct that imbalance. -- Rowan Moore * The Observer *The Radical Potter sees Tristram Hunt argue that Wedgwood was epicentral to the transformation of Britain in the late 18th and early 19th centuries ... This is a remarkable book from a historian at the top of his game. -- Andrew Roberts * BBC History *Confident ... Hunt makes sure Wedgwood's pots stay at the heart of his biography -- Tanya Harrod * Prospect *easily the best account of that multi-faceted genius -- A. N. Wilson * The Times *The indefatigable one-legged artist and abolitionist Josiah Wedgwood personified the optimism of Georgian Britain. Hunt brings him brilliantly to life. -- Iona McLaren * Daily Telegraph Books of the Year *Josiah Wedgwood was "the Steve Jobs" of the 18th century, according to Tristram Hunt, the historian and V&A director. Wedgwood, of modest background but expansive inventive genius, turned a Staffordshire pottery firm into a global company, one that showed that Britain could make high-quality porcelain, a high-demand product in the new age of tea drinking. Not bad for a man who couldn't turn a wheel because childhood disease disabled one of his legs. He was nicknamed "Owd Wooden Leg" by his workers - and referred to the day he lost his limb as "Saint Amputation Day". -- Robbie Millen * The Times Books of the Year *Tristram Hunt, in The Radical Potter, underlines brilliantly the consumerism and politics of the age in the character of Josiah Wedgwood, in whom we can see all the energy of the era - the campaign for abolition, the birth of international trade, the stirrings of the industrial revolution, the combination of mass production and aesthetic sense. -- Catherine Ostler * Aspects of History Books of the Year *

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Book SynopsisJames May's idiosyncratic look at the great inventions of our timeTrade Review'James May is the best thing ever to come out of Top Gear' * Radio Times *'Smart, sharply written' * Guardian *'The most loveable of the Top Gear presenting trio . . . there's a sharp and interesting mind under the corduroy. Fascinating.' * Nottingham Evening Post *

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Book Synopsis The international bestselling author of How Things Work and The Elements Trilogy turns his focus to a visual exploration of the inner workings and functionality of the marvelous machines that run our world—from the first steam engines to giant turbines to today's tiny electrical engines. In Engines, the always entertaining and informative Theodore Gray explores the glorious guts and intricate innards of dozens of impressive machines. Through his engaging and unexpected stories and Nick Mann’s trademark gorgeous photography, Gray takes us on a journey from ancient Greek steam engines to our most sophisticated twenty-first-century machinery. We take time to appreciate the detailed functionality of the internal combustion engine, the connection between magnetism and electric motors, as well as hydraulics, robotics, and more. Each chapter builds on the previous, illuminating the evolution of engines and revealing the ingenuity brought to bear as humans invented and perfected these marvelous mechanical systems. Along the way, Gray regales us with tales of his own experiences working with and collecting these machines. For fans of how things are made and how they work, Engines is a loving tribute to the mechanical world.    

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Book SynopsisAn illustrated history of Britain’s coal mines and the lives of the miners who worked in them. Coal heated the homes, fuelled the furnaces and powered the engines of the Industrial Revolution. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries the coalfields – distinct landscapes of colliery winding frames, slag heaps and mining villages – made up Britain’s industrial heartlands. Coal was known as ‘black gold’ but it was only brought to the surface with skill and at considerable risk, with flooding, rock falls and gas explosions a constant danger. Coal miners became a recognised force in British political life, forming a vociferous and often militant lobby for better working conditions and a decent standard of living. This beautifully illustrated guide to Britain’s industrial heritage covers not just the mines, but the lives of the workers away from the pits, with a focus on the cultural and religious life of mining communities.Trade ReviewA glossy publication with plenty of full-colour photos and other illustrations. At £7.99, this is great value for illuminating the lives of your coal-mining kin. * Who Do You Think You Are Magazine *Table of ContentsBlack Gold Bell Pits and Horse Whims Deep Mining Going Underground The Pit Village Places to Visit Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive pictorial history of all MG cars that were produced from 1930 up to those in production in 2006 when the Rover group collapsed. This is the 'go-to' reference book if you want to compare your Magnettes, MGAs, Midgets or Maestros!

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Book SynopsisEminent physicist and economist, Robert Ayres, examines the history of technology as a change agent in society, focusing on societal roots rather than technology as an autonomous, self-perpetuating phenomenon. With rare exceptions, technology is developed in response to societal needs that have evolutionary roots and causes. In our genus Homo, language evolved in response to a need for our ancestors to communicate, both in the moment, and to posterity. A band of hunters had no chance in competition with predators that were larger and faster without this type of organization, which eventually gave birth to writing and music. The steam engine did not leap fully formed from the brain of James Watt. It evolved from a need to pump water out of coal mines, driven by a need to burn coal instead of firewood, in turn due to deforestation. Later, the steam engine made machines and mechanization possible. Even quite simple machines increased human productivity by a factor of hundreds, if not thousands. That was the Industrial Revolution. If we count electricity and the automobile as a second industrial revolution, and the digital computer as the beginning of a third, the world is now on the cusp of a fourth revolution led by microbiology. These industrial revolutions have benefited many in the short term, but devastated the Earth’s ecosystems. Can technology save the human race from the catastrophic consequences of its past success? That is the question this book will try to answer.Table of ContentsChapter 1. Introduction.- Chapter 2. Fire and water: technologies extending nature.- Chapter 3. Extensions of the body.- Chapter 4. Words and music.- Chapter 5. Printing, movable type and books.- Chapter 6. The Enlightenment: the rise of science.- Chapter 7. The first stage of industrialization: coking and canals (1712- 1820).- Chapter 8. Machine tools and mechanization.- Chapter 9. The triumph of steam and steel (1820-1876).- Chapter 10. Petroleum and petrochemicals.- Chapter 11. Anesthesia, surgery, and modern medicine.- Chapter 12. Mobility: From rails to roads to space travel.- Chapter 13. Electricity and electrification of factories and homes.- Chapter 14. Communications: From carrier pigeons to telephones and radio (1876-1976).- Chapter 15. The history of artifiicial light.- Chapter 16. Electronic broadcast media: radio and TV.- Chapter 17. Photography and movies.- Chapter 18. The transistor transition: 1945-1969.- Chapter 19. Machine computation and digitization.- Chapter 20. The Internet and the Worldwide Web.- Chapter 21. The Eco-footprint of material wealth: pollution, climate change and epidemics.- Chapter 22. Nuclear power.- Chapter 23. Solar Power and renewables.- Chapter 24. Scarce elements and scarce metals.- Chapter 25. Food and agriculture.- Chapter 26. Biotechnology and Human Health.- Chapter 27. Can technology save Homo Sapiens from Extinction? Utopia 2120.

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Book SynopsisA History of the Future that's Happening Right NowArtificial Intelligence: An Illustrated History explores the historic origins and current applications of AI in such diverse fields as computing, medicine, popular culture, mythology, and philosophy. Through more than 100 entries, award-winning author Clifford A. Pickover, offers a granular, yet accessible, glimpseinto the world of AIfrom medieval robots and Boolean algebra to facial recognition, and artificial neural networks. First released in 2019, this updated paperback edition brings readers up to speed with coverage of technologies such as DALL-E and ChatGPT, and it explores the very real fear that AI will alter the course of humanityforever.

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Book SynopsisFrom the New York Times-bestselling author, a new volume on the history of human ingenuity and its attendant breakthroughs and busts.

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive pictorial history of all Bentley cars produced between 1933 and 2020.A model-by-model guide to this classic marque, giving details of design history, model specs, colour variations and styling features. Comprehensively illustrated, the book includes original photographs of all models, together with interior detail. It is an invaluable resource for anyone wishing to identify or compare Bentley models.This book is a must-have for any automotive bookshelf, for the Bentley aficionado or those interested in British motoring heritage. James Taylor is an experienced automotive historian and author, who has written many titles for Veloce, this one being another addition to Veloce''s hugely successful A Pictorial History series.

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Book SynopsisIn 1959, the first Mini was produced on an assembly line at Cowley, near Oxford. It would take a team of supremely talented designers, engineers and production-line workers to build a car that was unique in appearance and construction. They would clash over an uncomfortable and unsafe prototype, and the public had to be convinced to buy a car that let in water when it rained. But somehow the Mini became an icon. Designed for austerity and efficiency, the car came to represent individuality and classlessness.Today, the car is still produced at Cowley - it is now owned by BMW and called the MINI. A great British manufacturing story, it is more popular throughout the world than it has ever been, a symbol of the age that created it. But who makes these things, and what do they think about their work? By meeting the people behind the MINI, Simon Garfield uncovers a fascinating story of endeavour, ingenuity and masterful marketing. The modern MINI has come a long way from the leak

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