As recently as 1940, contact lenses did not exist for Americans. Invisible Vision is the hidden story of the man who brought them into existence, trained doctors and opticians to fit them, and developed the country's largest contact lens manufacturing company that started the industry. Despite these accomplishments, few people know his name or background. The surprising and inspiring life of Dr. Newton K. Wesley-born to Japanese immigrant parents who arrived at the turn of the 19t...

**The definitive history of America’s greatest incubator of innovation and the birthplace of some of the 20th century’s most influential technologies“Filled with colorful characters and inspiring lessons . . . The Idea Factory explores one of the most critical issues of our time: What causes innovation?” —Walter Isaacson, The New York Times Book Review“Compelling . . . Gertner's book offers fascinating evidence for those seeking to understand how a society...

A “timely, informative, and fascinating” study of 8 inventions—and how they shaped our world—with “totally compelling” insights on little-known inventors throughout history (Elizabeth Kolbert, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Sixth Extinction)In The Alchemy of Us, scientist and science writer Ainissa Ramirez examines 8 inventions and reveals how they shaped the human experience:• Clocks• Steel rails• Copper communication ...

One Little Book Two Big HeroesElon Musk and Henry ford are two men who literally did what the world said was impossible.These two men completely changed the course of history in many ways.This is your biographical comparison between Elon Musk "the real life Tony Stark" and Henry Ford the man that commercialized the automobile. We will compare and contrast the principles, philosophies, upbringings,legacies, accomplishments and more!We have heard many s...

From one of our most acclaimed novelists, a David-and-Goliath biography for the digital age.One night in the late 1930s, in a bar on the Illinois–Iowa border, John Vincent Atanasoff, a professor of physics at Iowa State University, after a frustrating day performing tedious mathematical calculations in his lab, hit on the idea that the binary number system and electronic switches, combined with an array of capacitors on a moving drum to serve as memory, could yield...

“Among the many rewards of America the Ingenious, Kevin Baker’s survey of Yankee know-how, is stumbling on its buried nuggets. . . . Baker examines a wide range of the achievements that have made, and still make, America great again—and again.”—The Wall Street JournalAll made in America: The skyscraper and subway car. The telephone and telegraph. The safety elevator and safety pin. Plus the microprocessor, amusement park, MRI, supermarket, ...

One of Esquire's 50 Best Biographies of All Time * One of The Economist's Best Books of 2022 * A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice * Nominated for The Next Big Idea Club * The Week Magazine Book of the WeekFrom Alec Nevala-Lee, the author of the Hugo and Locus Award finalist Astounding, comes a revelatory biography of the visionary designer who defined the rules of startup culture and shaped America’s id...

In the fall of 1930, David Packard left his hometown of Pueblo, Colorado, to enroll at Stanford University, where he befriended another freshman, Bill Hewlett. After graduation, Hewlett and Packard decided to throw their lots in together. They tossed a coin to decide whose name should go first on the notice of incorporation, then cast about in search of products to sell.Today, the one-car garage in Palo Alto that housed their first workshop is a California historic landmark: the bi...

Born on a small farm in rural Michigan, Henry Ford’s humble beginnings were no match for his ambition. Ford quickly created a manufacturing dynasty, bringing affordable cars to the masses and forever changing America and the American workplace. Who Was Henry Ford? details his meteoric rise, and explains how the genius behind the assembly line and the Model T shaped modern American industry.

Black Inventors, Crafting Over 200 Years of Success highlights inventors of color from over seventy countries and five continents. This book took over twenty years to research and documents black inventors from 1769 - 2011. It a must read for parents, students, teachers and librarians. It is most indepth study done on inventors of color to date.

An illustrated history of American innovators—some well known, some unknown, and all fascinating—by the author of the bestselling The American Century.The real inventor of the steam engine. The creator of the bra. The man who invented modern banking. The creator of the computer operating system. These and scores of others are the characters who populate Harold Evans's rollicking, brilliant history of the men and women who made America what it is.Va...

365 days of inventions, discoveries, science, and technology, from the editors of Wired Magazine.On January 30, Rubik applied for a patent on his cube (1975). On the next day, 17 years earlier, the first U.S. Satellite passed through the Van Allen radiation belt. On March 17, the airplane "black box" made its maiden voyage (1953). And what about today? Every day of the year has a rich scientific and technological heritage just waiting to be uncovered, and