Nine remarkable men produced inventions that changed the world. The printing press, the telephone, powered flight, recording and others have made the modern world what it is. But who were the men who had these ideas and made reality of them? As David Angus shows, they were very different quiet, boisterous, confident, withdrawn but all had a moment of vision allied to single-minded determination to battle through numerous prototypes and produced something that really worked. It is a fascinating account for younger listeners.

Thomas Savery, an English inventor, and engineer, in the book "The Miner's Friend; Or, An Engine to Raise Water by Fire" discusses in detail his invention of a steam-powered pump. This book describes the system by which the system operates and the potential uses with well-described images. A book for lovers of inventions and avid observers.

The title essay, along with other papers in this volume, laid the foundation of modern thermodynamics. Highly readable, "Reflections" contains no arguments that depend on calculus, examining the relation between heat and work in terms of heat in steam engines, air-engines, and an internal combustion machine. Translation of 1890 edition.