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James May's Magnificent Machines: How Men in Sheds Have Changed Our Lives
 
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James May's Magnificent Machines: How Men in Sheds Have Changed Our Lives (Paperback)

by Phil Dolling (Author), James May (Author)
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Paperback: 352 pages
  • Publisher: Hodder Paperback; illustrated edition edition (29 May 2008)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0340950927
  • ISBN-13: 978-0340950920
  • Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.7 x 2.5 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 101,567 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #65 in  Books > History > Social & Economic History > Inventions

Product Description

Review

'Smart, sharply written' --Guardian

'James May is the best thing ever to come out of Top Gear' --Radio Times


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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James May's Magnificent Machines: How Men in Sheds Have Changed Our Lives
70% buy the item featured on this page:
James May's Magnificent Machines: How Men in Sheds Have Changed Our Lives 4.1 out of 5 stars (8)
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Customer Reviews

8 Reviews
5 star:
 (5)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.1 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
15 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and Fun, 4 Oct 2007
By Lymaze (London) - See all my reviews
What a wonderful book. Full of interesting facts and glorious photographs. Anyone who watched the programmes will be surprised to learn the book is even better, for it is more in depth and covers subjects which weren't really touched upon in the programme. James May has a beautiful way with words and makes the science and invention of the 20th Century both exciting and fascinating.

A great Christmas book - put it on your lists now.
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20 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating read, 16 Sep 2007
James May's 20th Century, published in hardback on the 6th September 2007, accompanies the fabulous TV series broadcasted on Channel 2.

The book of the TV series is ever more fascinating than the TV series itself, mainly because there's more 'pukka-arity' to it - simply meaning there's more information, and wacky facts about the 20th century.

And being James May, he doesn't describe it in any way humble, or without great lumps of humour stirred into the mixture of interest, funniness, and even some facts that you don't need, or want, to know (!)

So, in conclusion of my review for this fantastic novel (and novelist), this book is one that you can't really put down if you can help it. It comprises qualities, and quantities, which other books don't have -

More than deserves 5 Star +


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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Readable and insightful, needs more careful editing, 24 Aug 2009
By N. Young (London, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
A generally good book version of the `James May's 20th Century' TV series, which chronicles the technological developments of the twentieth century with a thematic rather than chronological narrative. This is, on the whole, a decent and at times highly readable account of the technology behind (say) the Moon landings, the development of the radio and how technological development impacted on popular culture. Being a book, more detail is allowed than in the TV series. But it's not perfect by any means. Most jarring are several basic factual errors, the blame for which must lie jointly with May himself, co-author Phil Dolling and their editors - chief of which are persistently referring to the Moon as a planet, and naming Anthony Burgess - as opposed to either Guy Burgess or Anthony Blunt - as one of the Cambridge spies. Could do better.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Magnificent Machines
Good book on the whole. Could have been a little more detailed but then I suspect that it's just a quick facts book. Read more
Published 3 months ago by A. Wilson

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read and Lots of Interesting Facts
The thing I like about this book, as well as May On Motors, is the style of James's writing. It is though he is talking to you directly and explaining interesting stuff through... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Robert Spence

1.0 out of 5 stars Poorly researched and factually wrong
I've managed to get 82 pages into this until I've had to give up. So far he's discussed powered flight, the motor car and computers. Read more
Published 6 months ago by SuperTed

5.0 out of 5 stars A great read - James May at his best
James May's 20th Century really is a fantastic book, and I couldn't think of a better book to read.
It's simply staggering for anyone who likes awe-inspiring machines, like... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Josh

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books Ive read
James May - is a excellent man , his work inspired my work , because he is him self and write carefree almost Diary like. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Ms. Joanna Barker

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