The World's Most Magnificent Machines

Taking our lead from the travel posters of the 20s and 30s, a beautiful and thrilling round-up of 32 of the best Magnificent Machines from across history.

The longest ship ever built, the heaviest digger and the largest aeroplane, the world’s first working motorcar, and its most expensive one. What machines like these have in common is that they all say a lot about the inventiveness and imagination of the people who conceived and created them. Some of them are useful, others are just a bit of fun, but the best ones are truly magnificent, and fascinating to discover.

Designed to drive faster, fly higher, carry more cargo or – in the case of space rockets – travel hundreds of thousands of miles to places no-one has ever been before, not every idea has worked but the best have been inspired and inspirational, and in a few cases they have gone on to change the world.

It is the human stories and atmospheric art that make this a book to actually read and delight in.

Writer and historian David Long is the author of the acclaimed Animals' VC: For Gallantry and Devotion and the Blue Peter award-winning author of Survivors, Heroes and Rescue, which have total combined sales of 50,000 copies. He lives in Suffolk and has two teenage sons.

Simon Tyler is an author, illustrator and graphic designer. In 2013 he launched the acclaimed infographic poster brand Atomic Printworks. His books include Bugs, Insects and Adventures in Space. He lives on the Sussex coast with his young family, and enjoys climbing rocks and collecting bicycles.