Wondrous Contrivances: Technology at the Threshold

Incorporating seventy-five vintage photographs and illustrations, as well as excerpts from original instruction manuals, an intriguing study of the history of technology in America explores the evolution and influence of such technological marvels as the telegraph, taypewriter, radio, train, plane, fax, and Internet on American culture. 12,500 first printing.

opular history with a dose of gee-whiz gadgetry worship, this work by technology writer Ierley (The Comforts of Home) covers some fascinating ground without much direction. Beginning with the gentle reminder that "there was once a time when people never talked to each other except in each other's company," Ierley offers a survey of the inventions in transportation, entertainment and communications that have most transformed the American land- and mind-scape over the past century and a half. Ierley focuses on the public response to these inventions, using diaries, advertisements and records of local fairs and carnivals to document ordinary citizens' initial reactions to the contraptions that would inevitably change their world. It's intriguing to note which innovations were immediately embraced by the masses (automobiles, photography), and which met with skepticism (airplanes though one early commercial passenger did gush that the "pretty stewardess" looked "quite trim and dapper" in her uniform). Ierley's chapter on the bicycle reveals an astonishing level of hyperbole from exuberant everyday users ("the most remarkable, ingenious, and inspiring motor yet devised upon this planet"). From record players to personal computers, Ierley gives each overanalyzed subject a fresh look. The book is not much more than a series of sketches, but taken together, they are a powerful testament to the appetite for novelty and convenience so important in American culture. B&w illus. Agent, Faith Hamlin.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Both of these books discuss the technology that has transformed U.S. life over the past 150 years. Freelance writer Brown approaches the topic by focusing on U.S. inventors of the 20th century, while Ierley concentrates primarily on the late 19th to the mid-20th century, stressing on technology's social aspects. Neither work is intended to be comprehensive. Commissioned by the Lemeson-MIT Program for Invention and Innovation, Brown's work has five major subdivisions "Medicine and Healthcare," "Consumer Products," "Transportation," "Energy and Environment," and "Computing and Telecommunications" each with six to eight chapters devoted to one individual and his or her invention(s). Although men dominate, women and minorities are represented. While some items are to be expected the television, microwave oven, and video game others are delightful surprises, such as the traffic signal, computer mouse, pacemaker, balloon catheter, and naturally colored cotton. Individually and cumulatively, the short chapters on these and other inventions produce an excitement about the process of inventing. Ierley (The Comforts of Home), a well-known author on U.S. history and technology, divides his book into three sections: "Transportation," "Communications," and "Entertainment." Within each section are four to six chapters focusing on separate topics. The six chapters in "Communications," for example, are devoted to the telegraph, telephone, typewriter, copy machine, FAX machine, and home computer. Ierley is concerned not with the nitty-gritty of the invention but with how it was perceived by society as a contribution, how it was used, how people reacted to its introduction, and how there have been parallel reactions to new inventions throughout the decades. Both works are highly recommended, particularly for history of science and public library collections. Public libraries will want to highlight Inventing Modern America for young adults and raise their enthusiasm for the process of inventing. Michael D. Cramer, Cigna Healthcare, Raleigh, NC
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Ierley, author of The Comforts of Home (1999), an overview of household technologies, writes with zest about the "original impact" of modern technology as he offers pithy, illuminating discussions of Americans' initial reactions to the railroad, the telephone, the typewriter, and its descendant almost exactly a century later, the personal computer, and the world of images, from photography to television. The most enjoyable aspect of his insightful overview is his impressive fluency in technology coverage in newspapers and popular magazines, advertisements and owner's manuals, and even private letters and journals. Ierley also scrutinizes children's toys and books to assess the assimilation of various machines, and marvels at our "mastering of complexity," the ability to rapidly learn and employ new technology-driven skills. Donna Seaman
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