How Things Are Made: From Automobiles to Zippers

by Sharon Rose, Neil Schlager

For anyone, young or old, who has ever wondered, how do they make those?-here is an entertaining, illustrated exploration of the process behind the manufacture of everyday items.

What are bulletproof vests made of? How do manufacturers get lipstick into the tube? How much brass does it take to make a trumpet? The answers -- and so much more fascinating information -- can be found in How Things Are Made , a behind-the-scene look at everyday objects of all kinds, from guitars, sunscreen, and seismographs to running shoes, jetpacks, and chocolate.

Each page of How Things Are Made features informative step-by-step text along with detailed but easy-to-follow illustrations, diagrams, and sidebars to tell the stories behind the things we sometimes take for granted but often wonder about. Did you know that Edison didn't really invent the light bulb? Or that the first bar code was on a pack of Wrigley Spearmint gum? Or that a maple seed inspired the design for the helicopter? Discover these fascinating anecdotes and much more in How Things Are Made.










What are bulletproof vests made of? How do they get lipstick into the tube? How much brass does it take to make a trumpet? The answers-and so much more fascinating information-can be found in How Things Are Made , a behind-the-machine look at everyday objects of all kinds, from guitars, helicopters, and compact discs to lawn mowers, running shoes, and chocolate.

Each page of How Things Are Made features informative, step-by-step text along with detailed illustrations, diagrams, and sidebars to tell the stories behind the things we sometimes take for granted but often wonder about. Did you know that Edison didn't really invent the light bulb? Or that the first bar code was on a pack of Wrigley Spearmint gum? Find out these answers and much more in How Things Are Made.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, History, Reference, Education, Design

287 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Robert Beatty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have three daughters (6, 13, 18). The 18-year-old wants to be an engineer. The 13-year-old wants to be an artist. We have really enjoyed reading and studying this book. Each chapter focuses on an object in our everyday lives. It's all too easy for young people (and old people) to just assume everything magically appears through 1-click, without thinking about the thought and labor that goes into designing and making the objects in our lives. This book really opens up the mind to the idea that all these everyday objects come from someplace, someone thought them up, someone designed them, someone made them, and someone continues to improve them. My girls and I love the lipstick, nail polish, and smartphone sections, things that they could easily take for granted. We also really enjoyed the automobile, cruise ship, and smoke detector chapters. The most important aspect of this book is to open up the mind to the world of design and thinking. I also like how the book is so easy to read and easy to understand. It's very clearly and precisely written, and includes plenty of diagrams and sketches. Highly recommended.

[Max Lovelady · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has a pocket on the front that is pretty cool.

[T Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This seems like a perfectly serviceable book, but nothing extraordinary. Diagrams are generally clear, but the book is a little hard on the eyes, and the insistence on giving the same amount of space to everything would work better if the topics were of equal complexity. Automobiles are a little more complicated than zippers. Readers who like this sort of thing might want to try How It's Made or How It Works, two TV series that are favorites in my household.

[Brian Kovesci · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could be a website.

“Metal zipper hardware can be made of stainless steel, aluminum, brass, zinc, or a nickel-silver alloy. Sometimes a steel zipper can be coated with brass or zinc, or painted to match the color of the cloth tape or garment.”

-_________-

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting and fun book, which clearly explains the processes which are used to make a variety of modern day objects.

While this book uses imperial measurement, which would ordinarily annoy me, it does at least stick to them and uses only them. I also don't mind the way it mostly focuses on US manufacturers, as it appears to have been written for the US market. This also explains why some of the terms used are different to the ones I am used to being used for particular processes.

The diagrams are clear and concise, although a few could have been clearer, I'm thinking particularly of the description of the CD making process and zip production. Unfortunately, these are also the processes where the written descriptions are at their weakest.

I really like the cover of the book, which is covered in denim made to look like the pocket of a pair of jeans. It contains some of the description of how jeans are made, and is not only interesting and different but also means that the buyer can judge if they want to buy the book. If you don't like the style of the descriptions on the front, I don't think you will like the rest of it. I was enchanted, even though I suspect I'm slightly older than the target audience.

[Florence Buchholz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some entries were a little too technical for a non engineer.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK, so I havn't read every page. Its a reference book, right?Fascinating info, although a little American focused.

[J. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Strangely weak--the level of explanations is inconsistent, and everything is given equal space, regardless of how complicated or simple it is. Should have been much better.

[Abraham Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

nice book about how stuff is made!