A Brief History of Technologies

T. Derry and T. Williams presented a brilliant narrative about the technological achievements of humanity from ancient times to the present, paying close attention to the influence of technological progress on the course of history. The first part of the narrative includes the history of technologies from ancient times to 1750. The story begins with a general historical overview of ancient civilizations, followed by discussions on topics such as food production, metalworking, building construction, early energy sources, and the beginnings of the chemical industry. The second part of the text is dedicated to the development of the steam engine, machinery, modern transportation, coal and metal mining, the rise of the modern chemical industry, textiles, the internal combustion engine, electricity, and many others. Each section is preceded by a historical introduction, and the book concludes with a number of tables designed to display the relationship between names and events in the text.