To many people, the word “invention” brings to mind cleverly contrived gadgets and devices, such as safety pins, zippers, typewriters, and telephones—all of which have fascinating stories of invention behind them. However, the word actually has a much broader meaning, one that goes back to the Latin word invenire, for “to come upon.” In its broad sense, an invention can be any tangible device or contrivance, or even a process, that is brought into being by human imagination. It is in this broad sense that the term is used in Inventions and Inventors, the latest contribution to the Magill’s Choice reference books. This two-volume set contains articles on 195 twentieth century inventions, which span the full range of human imagination—from simple gadgets, such as disposable razors, to unimaginably complex medical breakthroughs, such as genetically engineered insulin. This set is not an encyclopedic catalog of the past century’s greatest inventions but rather a selective survey of noteworthy breakthroughs in the widest possible variety of fields. A combination of several features sets Inventions and Inventors apart from other reference works on this subject: the diversity of its subject matter, the depth of its individual articles, and its emphasis on the people behind the inventions. The range of subjects covered here is unusually wide. In addition to articles on what might be considered “classic” inventions—such as airplanes, television, and satellites— the set has articles on inventions in fields as diverse as agriculture, biology, chemistry, computer science, consumer products, drugs and vaccines, energy, engineering, food science, genetic engineering, medical procedures, music, photography, physics, synthetics, transportation, and weapons technology. Most of this set’s essays appeared earlier in Twentieth Century: Great Events (1992, 1996) and Twentieth Century: Great Scientific Achievements (1994). Its longest essays are taken from Great Events from History II: Business and Commerce Series (1994). Information
in the articles has been updated, and completely new bibliographical notes have been added to all of them. Half the essays also have original sidebars on people behind the inventions...........
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