Andrew Terranova - How Things Are Made: From Automobiles to Zippers

When I was approached to update How Things Are Made, I accepted with a slight reservation. In this era when so much information is online, would a book explaining how objects are manufactured be worthwhile? Two things changed my mind. While researching the initial chapters, I realized the challenge of finding accurateinformation. While the Internet is full of information, sorting through it for the core facts can be a painstaking process. The second thing, and perhaps more important, is the positive feedback from people who found out I was updating this book. One friends reaction, in particular, was so enthusiastic it erased any of my remaining reservations.

In revising this book, I spent countless hours doing research, read oodles of web pages, gleaned tidbits from manufacturers data sheets, and unearthed hidden gems of history from out-of-print books and periodicals, thankfully scanned and preserved by Google Books. I gained in-depth knowledge of familiar topics and vastly expanded my proficiency in areas where I knew even less than I thought I did. This new edition updates all the topics covered in the prior edition, and adds three brand-new chapters on the cruise ship, the smartphone, and the solar panel. In updating the chapters from the earlier edition, I stood on the shoulders of giants. I owe thanks to the previous author, Sharon Rose.

By design, the topics covered in this book span a broad spectrum. While a book cannot hope to cover all topics without being literally encyclopedic in nature, the things included here range in complexity from high-tech helicopters to simple sugar, and in size from a contact lens to a colossal cruise ship. Many objects will be familiar to you from everyday life. If I want to impart anything to you, reader, it is a deeper appreciation for what goes into making the things in the world around you.