Biographical Dictionary of the History of Technology FROM THE PUBLISHER
Now in paperback, the Biographical Dictionary of the History of Technology profiles the major inventors, discoverers and entrepreneurs from ancient times to the present day, from around the world, and across areas from aerospace to textiles.
The first part
of each entry includes the date and place of the subject's birth and death, together with their nationality and their field of activity. There then follows an account of their principal achievements and their significance in the history of technology. Finally, an annotated bibliography
directs readers to the subject's principal writings and publications.
work to stand in its own right. Any technical reference collection will require this volume, but general reference collections will also benefit from holding it....This work is unlikely to be bettered in the foreseeable future (Library Review)
FROM THE CRITICS
BookList
In 1990 Routledge published "An Encyclopedia of the History of Technology", edited by Ian McNeil. Two of the 22 chapters in that volume were contributed by Lance Day. Now McNeil and Day are coeditors of a biographical dictionary sketching the work of nearly 1,300 persons of all cultures and all times whom they judge to have made "a significant contribution . . . to the advance of technology." Technology is defined as such areas as aeronautics, broadcasting, electronics, medical technology, railways, and weapons. Ampere, Boeing, Goodyear, Lever, McAdam, Pasteur, and Westinghouse are some of the familiar names covered. Among the few living subjects are Steven P. Jobs and Stephen G. Wozniak
The preface discusses the decisions made with respect to the selection of names, including acknowledging that the name index of the above-mentioned encyclopedia was a starting point for this selection. "Biographical Dictionary" was compiled with a conscious effort to avoid duplicating dictionaries of scientists such as the multivolume "Dictionary of Scientific Biography". The preface further states that most of the biographees are "male, white, European (including North American)." Fewer than one-fourth of the engineers and inventors with biographies in "The African American Almanac" (6th ed., Gale, 1994) are in this work, and fewer than a dozen women are included
The signed entries follow a standard sequence: dates and places of birth and death, the subject's nationality and a brief statement of his or her principal achievements, a biography of 250500 words, honors and distinctions, a bibliography of the individual's publications, and selected references to literature where further information can be found. Names printed in boldface type in the text indicate cross-references. There are numerous "see" and "see also" references as well. The dictionary concludes with three indexes: by subject, name, and broad topic
The "Biographical Dictionary of the History of Technology" will provide academic and public libraries with much useful information.
Booknews
Profiles important contributors to technology from ancient to modern times, rather than people involved in the fairly recent discipline of the history of technology. The 1,200 alphabetical entries present vital dates and places, a brief identifying phrase, one to several paragraphs describing the life and career, a list of honors and distinctions, and a bibliography. Indexed by subject area, such as aeronautics, land transport, and weapons, as well as by name and subject. Mildly cross-referenced. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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