Brilliant Books: 1000 Inventions and Discoveries… A DK Book…

We have a power problem and posts are piling up in my inbox, despite our normal load shedding, which for our overseas readers is a special little South African-ism, where our power goes off for a couple of hours a day… we are having the electricity poles in our street upgraded. This lack of electricity, while fantastic for productivity around the home, is a little less helpful for blogging. So forgive the lack of posts or the batches of posts… it is the nature of life. Here come a couple of fabulous book reviews, books that have been lying on our coffee table over the summer break and books that we are definitely going to be using for our school year.

1000 Inventions and Discoveries by Roger Bridgman

Recently we reviewed The History of the World in 1000 Objects… which we are reading our way through a page or two a day through out this year. And then we received this book for review. This book is packed with stunning DK photographs and consists of pages and pages, of inventions and discoveries as the reader wanders their way through time… Beginning with stone tools and the hand axe, down the centuries to the Life in the Deep and Earth-Like Planets, discovered in 2013. We have been weaving our way through the pages of this book and using it as a virtual show and tell. I open up a page and leave it on the side at breakfast time and folk take turns to tell us about an invention they have read about at lunchtime.

Se7en+1 Things to Love About This Book

  1. It covers a vast range of inventions and discoveries… ancient household gadgets to modern gizmos this books contains literally tons of amazing objects and fascinating facts to go with them.
  2. Each object has an estimated date and the name/people group that discovered or invented it. And then a short and very readable paragraph packed with interesting factoids.
  3. Some objects are just too much for a small paragraph and they are allowed to spread into half-a-page or a full-page spread.
  4. The objects are split into chapters according to where they find themselves in the ages of man… and along the bottom of each page there is a timeline, places the objects on the page in context.
  5. Each chapter is colour coded… which means that it is easy to find items that were invented or discovered during the same era.
  6. This book contains two indexes… one for inventions and discoveries and the other for inventors and discoverers… making it easier to look up and find what you are looking for.
  7. This book is just as interesting to read for the history lover and the science buff as it is for the dreamer…
  8. This book has proved itself to be an inspiration as many inventive diagrams have been pinned onto the fridge door since we began dipping into it.

Se7en Chapters and a Few Inventions/Discoveries to Think About:

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  1. Learning the Basics: Fish hook, boomerang, sickle, scales, sail, wheel, candle, gloves.
  2. The Age of Authority: Catapult, lighthouse, flute, water wheel, scissors, folding fan, fireworks.
  3. se7en - 210415 - 1152.jpg

  4. New Worlds, New Ideas: Printing Press, pencil, telescope, dictionary, umbrella, spirit level, bacteria, piano.
  5. se7en - 210415 - 1162.jpg

  6. Revolutionary Changes: Hot air balloon, bifocal spectacles, ambulance, canning, stethoscope, match, lawnmower, postage stamp.
  7. se7en - 210415 - 1169.jpg

  8. Science Takes Control: Yale lock, chewing gum, jeans, typewriter, bicycle, skyscraper, gramophone, toothpaste in a tube.
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  10. Inventions for Everyone: Thermos flask, ice-lolly, cotton buds, pop-up toaster, sliced bread, supermarket, cat’s eyes, snorkel.
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  12. Information And Uncertainty: Velcro, superglue, lego, seat-belt, hip replacement, miniskirt, floppy disc, walkman.

And that is just to wet your appetite… there are so many more things in there to read about an discover and honestly, to just be amazed… You can take a peek inside the book at the DK Website.

This book was given to us by Penguin Random House, South Africa, for review purposes. This is not a sponsored post and the opinions expressed are as usual, entirely our own.

2 Replies to “Brilliant Books: 1000 Inventions and Discoveries… A DK Book…”

  1. Hi Susan, It is… our whole family has been enjoying weird and wonderful facts from it… there is something appealing for every age and stage in it, not to mention for all types of interests!!! Its a very fun book!!!

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