The Big Bang: A History of Explosives - Softcover

Brown, G I

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0750937920 ISBN 13: 9780750937924

Publisher: The History Press, 2005

Synopsis

This entertaining and informative book tells the dramatic tale of explosives from gunpowder to the H-bomb. Laying the emphasis on the lives of the people involved, on the diverse uses of explosives and on their social and historical impact, the author relates a story of remarkable international human endeavour. Some of those involved - Roger Bacon, Guy Fawkes, Alfred Nobel, Robert Oppenheimer - are famed worldwide, and many others played crucial roles. This book highlights their achievements and examines the impact of explosives on war and terrorism, civil engineering, quarrying, mining, demolition, fireworks manufacture and shooting for sport. It also explores how explosives have influenced the course of history from the defeat of the Spanish Armada and the early use of gunpowder in the American Civil War to the worldwide opening up of canals and railways.

About this title

From the Author:

Interesting, informative and entertaining
There are a number of good books on explosives written for the professional, but I have tried to tell their tale in a non-technical way by laying the emphasis on the people concerned, on the various uses of explosives,and on their historical and social impact. Dr.Adam Hart-Davis refers to my work as a 'splenid book', and writes that I have done an 'excellent job of weaving together the strands of history, biography, politics and science'. The British Army Review summarises the book as an 'interesting, informative and entertaining read'. Chemistry and Industry refers to a 'fascinating book which is an impressive undertaking.' The School Science Review says that 'it is a fascinating read' and 'so well written that the story flows along and holds the reader enthralled'. And Chemistry in Britain 'thoroughly recommends it to all school and university libraries'.

Synopsis:

'Great blasts from the past and how it all started with a few fireworks' THE GUARDIAN This entertaining and informative book tells the dramatic tale of explosives from gunpowder to the H-bomb. Laying the emphasis on the lives of the people involved, on the diverse uses of explosives and on their social and historical impact, the author relates a story of remarkable international human endeavour. Many of those involved - Roger Bacon, Guy Fawkes, Alfred Nobel, Robert Oppenheimer - are famed worldwide, while others such as C.F. Schonbein, William Bickford, Sir Frederick Abel and Charles E. Munroe, while not well as known, played crucial roles. Alongside their achievements, this book highlights the uses and impact of explosives in both war and terrorism, and in civil engineering, quarrying, mining, demolition, fireworks manufacture and shooting for sport. In many cases explosives are seen to have had significant historical impact as, for example, in the early use of gunpowder in the American Civil War, the defeat of the Spanish Armada, and the worldwide opening up of canals and railways.

About this edition

• Publisher: The History Press
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0750937920
• ISBN 13: 9780750937924
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 256