What a Great Idea! Inventions That Changed the World

by Stephen M. Tomecek

Book Overview

Steve Tomecek discusses 45 inventions that really shook up society. These big ideas inspired many other inventions and illuminate the changes that technology has made throughout time. From the hand ax... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0590681443
• ISBN13: 9780590681445
• Release Date: February 2003
• Publisher: Scholastic Reference
• Length: 112 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 8.5" x 10.5"
• Age Range: 9 to 14 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 9

Customer Reviews

Adult game for memory

Another good game to play with my 84 year old dad who is losing his memory. He reads a loud an invention to me in the morning over coffee and has a great time.

This book gives an entertaining & informative tour of inventions & discoveries across five time

What A Great Idea! Inventions That Changed The World by Stephen M. Tomecek Ever since I have read, among many others, 'They All Laughed... From Light Bulbs to Lasers: The Fascinating Stories Behind the Great Inventions That Have Changed Our Lives' by Ira Flatow, I am always on the look-out for similar books in this genre. I have an ardent fascination for the history of science & technology, & have amassed a vast collection of books in this genre. Not only I am interested in the life stories of the scientists & inventors, I am also keen to find out how they went about in the pursuit of the original ideas behind their inventions. I have recently acquired 'What a Great Idea' from a used bookstore. It showcases lively, colourful stories about some significant inventions & discoveries against a historical background e.g. the hand ax, the wheel, the clock, writing, clothing, mathematics, & the computer. It also divides them across five broad time periods ranging - from the ancient world before 3,000 B.C.E.; - the metal age from 3,500 B.C.E. through A.D. 1; - the age of discovery from A.D. 1 through 1799; - the age of electricity & communication from 1799 to 1887; - the age of the atom from 1887 to the present; What I liked about this book are the full-colour diagrams & clear illustrations, which have been well-integrated with brief descriptions of how the inventions work as well as insightful information about their impact on society as well as on subsequent inventions & discoveries. What eventually emerges from this book is a sense of inter-connectedness among the inventions & discoveries that other books often lack. This reinforces what Leonardo da vinci once said, "Everything is connected to everything else." Also, the author's style of presentation is informally straight-forward & visually appealling. Well, if you have that curiosity streak in you about the history of inventions & discoveries, just like I do, I guess you just have to go & get hold of this book. I can assure you, this book gives an entertaining & informative tour.