Synopsis
Traces the development of weapons through the lives of such inventors and their inventions as David Bushnell and the submarine, Samuel Colt and the revolver, John Ericsson and ...
Children's Literature
Man's ingenuity has brought about many marvels, but it is also responsible for weapons that have brought death and destruction to many. Richie's writing is clear and engaging. He tells the story of weapons from the early spears to guided missiles. Chapters are devoted to Bushnell and the submarine, Colt and the revolver, Ericsson and the ironclad, Whitehead and the torpedo, Maxim and the machine gun, Swinton and the tank and Dornberger and Von Braun and the rocket. In addition to learning about the inventors, readers follow the progression from the earliest designs through the modifications that were carried forward into modern war machines. It is all accompanied by illustrations, portraits, drawings and callouts which highlight a point or important issue. Casual readers will be intrigued and report writers will find good information and an excellent starting point for research.