Product Description

What really makes the things around us tick? Did you know that the principle behind the zip fastener also governed the building of the pyramids? Or that the dentist's drill is a direct descendant of the first windmill? The inner workings of hundreds of machines and devices are explained in this fun, colourful and unique look at technology through time.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #25616 in Books
• Published on: 2004-05-06
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

About the Author
David Macaulay's book 'The Way Things Work', first published in 1998, had huge success winning numerous awards including The Times Education Senior Supplement Senior Information Book Award. Born in the UK. David now lives in Boston.

Customer Reviews

great reprint of a classic book
My older daughter (now 18) loved this book when younger and so I wanted to buy a copy for my seven year old this year, only to find it had gone out of print. I was then able to pre order this reprint on amazon and in the meantime borrowed a copy from my library. My son is really interested in building k.nex, lego technic etc and any books that are NOT fiction so he loved this!
The book is very thick and comprehensive and I don't think he really understands a lot of it - but he enjoys looking at the drawings and having sections read to him and dsicussing what is happening.
I think he is at the youngest age range of interest for this book - I think it would be more appreciated by 10-12 year olds and adults! (I have certainly learnt a lot from it). The book expalins how various machines and technology work. It covers simple levers first and moves on to more complex machines such as the combustion engine, electrical circuits, Tv's and rockets. The book has no photos it relies on delicately coloured line drawings and plans which work really well. A mammoth is often used in a section of the page to explain a principle (although my son is not keen on this). Each page is quite crowded with drawings and information - so it is really aimed at an older audience I think, it is also very thick so he has to look at it while lying on the ground.
I remember when first published (8-10 years ago??) it was a huge hit and you could buy a cd rom and project kit to make simple machines - sadly you can't now but the BBC when it still made morning TV education shows made a very nice cartoon series based on the book also called the way things work - which takes the mammoth storyline and has a herd on a little island populated by a village of people and explains the principles behind simple machines in ten minute episodes which is very suitable for young kids. My older children used to watch it and I found amazon can supply a DVD of the series on two discs. I ordered it and my son has really enjoyed watching them - I think it suits his age better than the book, but I am sure the book will be on his shelf for many years to come and be consulted hundreds of times.