Henry Petroski Knihy

Case histories of engineering success and failure are presented to enrich understanding of the design process.

Henry Petroski's witty and unexpected history of the pencil includes a wide range of characters: from the American philosopher Henry David Thoreau, and Toulouse-Lautrec, who declared, 'I am a pencil', to the great nineteenth- century manufacturing families, such as Dixon and Faber. schovat popis

When planes crash, bridges collapse, and automobile gas tanks explode, we are quick to blame poor design. But Henry Petroski says we must look beyond design for causes and corrections. Known for his masterly explanations of engineering successes and failures, Petroski here takes his analysis a step further, to consider the larger context in which accidents occur. In To Forgive Design he surveys some of the most infamous failures of our time, from the 2007 Minneapolis bridge collapse and the toppling of a massive Shanghai apartment building in 2009 to Boston's prolonged Big Dig and the 2010 Gulf oil spill. These avoidable disasters reveal the interdependency of people and machines within systems whose complex behavior was undreamt of by their designers, until it was too late. Petroski shows that even the simplest technology is embedded in cultural and socioeconomic constraints, complications, and contradictions. Failure to imagine the possibility of failure is the most profound mistake engineers can make. Software developers realized this early on and looked outside their young field, to structural engineering, as they sought a historical perspective to help them identify their own potential mistakes. By explaining the interconnectedness of technology and culture and the dangers that can emerge from complexity, Petroski demonstrates that we would all do well to follow their lead.

Edited and introduced by Bill Bryson, with contributions from Richard Dawkins, Margaret Atwood, Richard Holmes, Martin Rees, Richard Fortey, Steve Jones, James Gleick and Neal Stephenson amongst others, this beautiful, lavishly illustrated book tells the story of science and the Royal Society, from 1660 to the present.

Exploring the intricate blend of science, engineering, and human ambition, this book delves into America's iconic bridges built from the 1870s to the 1930s. It highlights the remarkable individuals behind these structures, such as the St. Louis, George Washington, and Golden Gate bridges, showcasing their technical expertise and persuasive skills. The narrative captures both monumental successes and catastrophic failures, like the Tacoma Narrows Bridge disaster, ultimately portraying bridges as enduring symbols of civilization and a testament to human creativity and resilience.

Success through Failure shows us that making something better--by carefully anticipating and thus averting failure--is what invention and design are all about. Petroski explores the nature of invention and the character of the inventor through an unprecedented range of both everyday and extraordinary examples--illustrated lectures, child-resistant packaging for drugs, national constitutions, medical devices, the world's tallest skyscrapers, long-span bridges, and more. Stressing throughout that there is no surer road to eventual failure than modeling designs solely on past successes, he sheds new light on spectacular failures, from the destruction of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in 1940 and the space shuttle disasters of recent decades, to the collapse of the World Trade Center in 2001.

Henry Petroski traces the origins of the pencil back to ancient Greece and Rome, writes factually and charmingly about its development over the centuries and around the world, and shows what the pencil can teach us about engineering and technology today.

Exploring the intriguing history of books and their storage, this work delves into the evolution of these everyday objects and their significant impact on culture and knowledge. The author, known for engaging narratives, reveals how the design and preservation of books have shaped human communication and learning throughout history. This captivating account highlights the importance of these seemingly mundane items in our lives and their role in the progression of society.

What do economics and ecology, aesthetics and ethics, have to do with the shape of the paper clip or the tab of a beverage can? This work explores what everyday artifacts and sophisticated networks can reveal about the way engineers solve problems.