How It Is Made (Hawks, 1946)

 Ellison Hawks. How It Is Made. (1946) Internal evidence in text and images shows the book was originally published ca. 1930. An online search revealed that this edition was published in 1946.
     As an introduction to the technology of the time, it’s excellent. It’s also a historical record, not only of the technology, but also the attitudes towards science and industry. Hawks expresses, and expects his readers to share, a generally admiring and prideful stance towards the triumphs of human ingenuity. There is not a hint of environmental awareness: it’s all about making things that will serve human needs and desires. Hawks is also firmly patriotic: England is still the Workshop of the World, although some references suggest Hawks knew that the USA was supplanting Great Britain as the industrial leader.
     An interesting compendium. Allowing for surprisingly minor advances in most technologies, still a good introduction to the engineering that we all rely on. The most significant differences between then and now are the use of plastics, the development of solid-state electronics, and the spread of computers into every nook and cranny of our daily lives. Recommended if you can find a copy. ***
     More about Ellison: https://bearalley.blogspot.com/2009/01/ellison-hawks.html