Icons of Invention Two Volumes: The Makers of the Modern World from Gutenberg to Gates Book

These two volumes provide in-depth coverage of 24 of history's most important inventors and their inventions.

Library Journal

Presenting in-depth discussions of 24 inventions from the 1400s (Gutenberg's printing press) to the early 2000s (a satellite), Klooster (The Granting of Inventive Rights) defines "iconic invention" as one that is "so significant [it is] widely utilized by and known to the public." Organized chronologically, the 24 chapters ranging in length from 13 pages (Food Preservation) to 65 pages (Electric Power) include an illustration of the invention under discussion. Sidebars on related or other important inventions such as gunpowder appear throughout the text. Retired patent attorney Klooster has selected the entries based on their potential appeal to young adults and emphasizes the invention's history, the inventor's life, and the invention's commercial success. Unfortunately, Klooster relies exclusively on words to convey meaning, and his writing style tends toward verbosity. For example, his explanation of the sewing machine's locking stitch employs five lengthy statements when it would've been much easier for readers, particularly younger teens, to digest simpler sentences and a diagram. BOTTOM LINE While heavy on the history of the invention and the inventor's life, all of the information found here is available through other sources, including books such as Dan Stuckenschneider's What a Great Idea!: Inventions That Changed the World (Scholastic, 2003) and Rodney Carlisle's Scientific American Inventions and Discoveries (Wiley, 2004). Most suitable for older teens and adults.—Laurie Selwyn, formerly with Grayson Cty. Law Lib., Sherman, TX