In this brisk, tongue‑in‑cheek tale, a mechanical flagship named the Clara Clarita becomes the center of a bitter, funny debate over invention, pride, and the cost of chasing speed. The narrative follows engineers, owners, and rivals as they test a new engine and debate who truly holds the power to move a ship—and a nation’s imagination.

Through sharp dialogue and vivid scenes, the book paints a world where technology and ego collide, leaving readers with a wry view of progress and the people who worship it. It’s a story about ambition, the price of innovation, and the odd rituals of those who work with machines that shout and gleam.

Meet engineers, shipbuilders, and a power-hungry designer in a high‑stakes trial of a steam yacht.
Experience the humor and tension as tests reveal the gap between promise and performance.
Enjoy wit, critique, and a keen eye for the costs—financial and personal—of big ideas.
Observe how satire uses maritime and mechanical detail to explore fame, money, and invention.

Ideal for readers who enjoy sharp satire, historical technology, and tales that blend engineering with human comedy.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Store Description

**Please note our transit times are from the date of dispatch.** We first started out as ?The Paperback Exchange,? a chain of physical bookstores where we would part exchange your beloved books for new stories to transport you to faraway places. However, as shopping started to evolve to online shops and marketplaces, we bid our stores goodbye to become ?PBShop.? This transition has only allowed us to blossom as we now ship thousands of titles to book lovers across the globe. We pride ourselves in being a community of local book lovers which allows our passion and devotion to shine in everything we do. In 2020 we not only celebrated our 20th birthday but our 1st birthday as being completely employee owned after becoming an E.O.T in September 2019. We are proud to be different and embrace standing apart on a book mountain by working from a virtual inventory which allows us to provide thousands of books that may be difficult to get for your bookshelf or your studies. Working with a number of different suppliers allows us to explore other avenues such as puzzles, sheet music and even stationery so we really do have something for everyone. Life is about being versatile in all realms of existence. If this is your first purchase with us, or you are a returning customer, we would like to welcome you to the PBShop family, for there is no friend as loyal as a book. We are a company who put our customers at the centre of everything we do as we understand the importance of reading because once you learn to read, you will forever be free. There are a whole lot of things in this world of ours that we are yet to explore, which is why we will forever inspire curious minds.

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Pbshop.co.uk
Unit 22 Horcott Industrial Estate, Horcott Road, Fairford, GL7 4BX, United Kingdom

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Terms of Sale

Returns Policy
We ask all customers to contact us for authorisation should they wish to return their order. Orders returned without authorisation may not be credited.
If you wish to return, please contact us within 14 days of receiving your order to obtain authorisation.
Returns requested beyond this time will not be authorised.
Our team will provide full instructions on how to return your order and once received our returns department will process your refund.
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Orders are shipped from our UK warehouse. Delivery thereafter is between 4 and 14 business days. Please contact us if you have any queries about our services or products.

Shipping rates from United Kingdom to U.S.A.

Shipping rates from United Kingdom to U.S.A.
Order quantity	10 to 20 business days	10 to 20 business days
First item	US$ 5.62	US$ 5.62

Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.