- Hardcover: 256 pages
- Publisher: John Wiley & Sons (17 Feb 2004)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0471208671
- ISBN-13: 978-0471208679
- Product Dimensions: 24.4 x 16.5 x 2.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,533,213 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Review
“Hellman does a good job of putting them [inventions] into a commercial context. The book works well as a reference…” (Focus, June 2004)
“… lively and compelling…” (New Scientist, 15 May 2004)
“… a bright idea…” (The Guardian, 20 May 2004)
"...entertaining new book..." (Sunday Telegraph, 28 March 2004)
"There′s nothing like a good feud to grab your attention. When it comes to describing the battle, Hellman is a master." (New Scientist)
Focus, June 2004
"Hellman does a good job of putting them [inventions] into a commercial context. The book works well as a reference..."
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
Sherwood Forest. Who does not associate Sherwood Forest with Robin Hood-that legendary, daring hero of medieval England? Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Sherwood Forest. Who does not associate Sherwood Forest with Robin Hood-that legendary, daring hero of medieval England? Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Hardcover
Pioneers may achieve a lot, they are often not the most relaxed people to deal with. So it is not really a surprise to read that Thomas Edison was a rather nasty person, who would not hesitate to electrocute dogs (and in one case an elephant), just to show how dangerous ac current, as produced by his rival George Westinghouse, was.
Many of the stories Hal Hellman tells in this book have been related before. Still there are some lesser known gems, notably the life of Hyman Rickover, the man who had the first nuclear submarine built, and in the process fought almost everybody else in the American navy. As his biographer noted: "He believed the shortest distance between two points was a straight line - even if it bisected six admirals".
The Rickover chapter is the best, because it confines itself to its subject, the 'colourful' character, in stead of attempting to write the history of the whole surrounding field. Had mr. Hellman confined himself to this approach in the other chapters as well, his book would have been more balanced. Nonetheless, this is a perfectly enjoyable read.
Many of the stories Hal Hellman tells in this book have been related before. Still there are some lesser known gems, notably the life of Hyman Rickover, the man who had the first nuclear submarine built, and in the process fought almost everybody else in the American navy. As his biographer noted: "He believed the shortest distance between two points was a straight line - even if it bisected six admirals".
The Rickover chapter is the best, because it confines itself to its subject, the 'colourful' character, in stead of attempting to write the history of the whole surrounding field. Had mr. Hellman confined himself to this approach in the other chapters as well, his book would have been more balanced. Nonetheless, this is a perfectly enjoyable read.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3 reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Hal Hellman's Latest Feuds Book
19 April 2004
Format:Hardcover
Most of us accept as a fact that Morse invented the telegraph and the Wright Brothers the airplane. Great Feuds in Technology opens your eyes to how controversial credits for developing these and other technologies were in the past and how some of them have not been settled even today. It also tells about disputes, such as the long-lasting one that Henry Ford had over a patent on the automobile, that had an enormous effect on how the technology and industry developed. Another outcome could have made the world we live in today quite a different place. The book ranges from technologies that are now obsolete, such as the miners' safety lamp, through the electric power industry, television, and to the currently controversial topic of genetic engineering. I was sorry when I came to the end of it.
enjoyable book
9 Mar 2009
Format:Hardcover
Enjoyable book about some topics of which I had little knowledge. Even the areas in which I had heard about the conflicts, the author did a nice job of summarizing the feuds. Quick read---I think I read the whole book during a long weekend conference (airports/planes/free time). Would recommend the other titles in this series as well.
1 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Nice book
30 April 2005
Format:Hardcover
The book start from the Luddite and end into the current biotech world. There is a lesson that the author wanted to share in this book. That is the Luddite is not phoebe about technology. It is more about economy. The end of the chapter, chapter 10, however, has a deep meaning. It would, in my opinion, describe a true Luddite, phoebe about technology. The last chapter is about genetic modification.
I really like reading from chapter 2 to 7, but I don't like the rest of the chapter. I plan at first to give this book a 5 star, then after reading half of chapter 9, I began to sense this book has a deep meaning about technology. I don't like a very sad ending. So I subtract another star after I find out that, in my opinion, the other really good chapter about technology invention, the telegraphy, the television and other great invention is used as a tool by the author to show the true but sad ending.
I would still recommand that you buy and read this book.
I really like reading from chapter 2 to 7, but I don't like the rest of the chapter. I plan at first to give this book a 5 star, then after reading half of chapter 9, I began to sense this book has a deep meaning about technology. I don't like a very sad ending. So I subtract another star after I find out that, in my opinion, the other really good chapter about technology invention, the telegraphy, the television and other great invention is used as a tool by the author to show the true but sad ending.
I would still recommand that you buy and read this book.
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