I have read many books by the author, fiction, and non-fiction, and I have followed her blog, where she shares her stories (some of her famous serials), news, and posts full of imagination and information. She writes in many different genres, always with an emphasis on fancy and whimsy; and she likes to mix genres. Her stories range from high fantasy to historical fiction, and she has always shown an eye for detail and a research interest, not only in inventions and historical events, but also in the clothing, the language, and the social mores of the era in question.
I have recently enjoyed one of her steampunk serials, and I am not the only reader fascinated by some of the real inventions and characters featured in some of the books. Therefore, I was very happy to see that she had added to her Author Tool Chest collection, this time with a book about the steam and diesel eras.
Readers who aren’t authors shouldn’t be put off by the title. Yes, the book is a great resource for people thinking of writing about those periods, but anybody interested in reading about these eras and curious about the inventions and the inventors of the time will enjoy this book and be amazed at the kind of things our ancestors would come up with. Of course, some might still be in use (with some changes), but others sound incredible and far-fetched. Who would have thought?
This small volume is written in the format of a dictionary, which facilitates finding specific information about inventors or ‘contraptions’. There is also a final section dedicated to women inventors, and I found that portion of the book particularly enlightening and fascinating, as there are so many women I had heard nothing about before reading this book and some whose contributions have been ignored, disputed or simply claimed by others until very recently. The most worrisome aspect of this is that as you read about them, you have the feeling that we are only scratching the surface, and there must be many more who haven’t been discovered yet. The author includes a longer biography of Hedy Lamarr, focused not on her acting but on her inventions and the lack of recognition she and her partner (George Antheil) got. If she had difficulty getting acknowledged, imagine what it must have been like for somebody totally unknown (although, it is true that beautiful women can get sidetracked because nobody expects them to be intelligent, as if both things couldn’t coexist in the same person).
The book includes some images, mostly of the inventors, but not many of the contraptions (one suspects that is probably due to copyright issues).
As the author explains in her note, she has not tried to include all possible information but to provide a taster and encourage readers to research the characters and the inventions they want to know more about. This text is a great way to get started and a book that will fire up readers’ imaginations and make them want to know more about those eras that have become so popular recently.
Another great book from Teagan Riordáin Geneviene, entertaining, informative, and a good resource for authors, researchers, and curious readers alike.
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Beste recensies uit andere landen
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OlgaNMBeoordeeld in Spanje op 24 december 2024
Awesome inventions and inventors to make the imagination fly
Formaat: Kindle-editieGeverifieerde aankoop -
MacTrishBeoordeeld in het Verenigd Koninkrijk op 7 november 2024
An entertaining read full of surprises
Formaat: Kindle-editieGeverifieerde aankoop
