The Industrial Revolution: A Captivating Guide to a Period of Major Industrialization and the Introduction of the Spinning Jenny, the Cotton Gin, Electricity, and Other Inventions

I read history as a hobby. This short book covers a lot of ground, including the following:-where and why the industrial revolution began.- the invention of the machines that made the revolution possible and how they improved over time- what were the effects of the revolution on society and the standard of living of individuals- how did it impact the rights of women, their status in society, their rights and relationship to men.-who brought about the changes in women’s rights-The effects on the environment- the types of goods manufactured-the effect of the revolution on slavery- the rise of the service sector-changes in shopping habits and the beginning of the shopping centre as we know it today.Not hard to read or filled with boring trivia. Informative and fun to read, and makes one think.It was my high school history teacher who taught me how to think better and how to analyze societal issues. God bless him, wherever he may be. My eternal gratitude.

Good information there but really poorly edited. Whoever wrote it seems to hold some of the anti-western sentiments that plague the west these days (the irony!!). Nonetheless it wasn't a bad book. Some of the falsehoods actually became useful in group discussion of why they are..well..falsehoods.

Enjoyed the pace of the narrative and precision of the expression. The had a purpose and it achieved it spectacularly. Thank you.

It might be hard to imagine that a book on the Industrial Revolution could be so good but it is! This book reads smoothly and contains a huge amount of information. From the early days of mass industrialization through modern day technological innovations. The book ask the question- has the Industrial Revolution ended or is is still happening in phases with lulls. I have to believe the latter.The development of steam power was particularly interesting to me as was things like the rediscovery of concrete, the battle over AC vs DC electric current, the development of steel, textiles and the effects of industrialization on people, both good and bad.I have relatives who worked the coal mines of Pennsylvania and at Bessemer Steel. So those sections brought to mind the stories they told about what that was like in the early 1900s. Everyone left the mines but several generations worked at "The Bessemer." Some of my in-laws worked in the textile mills that used to line the Chattahoochee River. Those jobs are now in China and the mills are condos and convention centers. It was very interesting to me to place events in the books with personal direct/indirect knowledge. Hydro power ran the mills and ultimately water wheels became turbines for electric power plants for the mills. There was even a SCOTUS case fought over the rights to build mills on the river with GA winning the case over AL.This was a good read, will worth the time. Highly recommended.

Reading again about this important moment in history brings up to mind all the advances made for humanity. Some facts are given that clear up all that was done and how it was done.

As usual I enjoyed the degree of information this series offered, and learning, for instance, that the first 'steam' engines were not based on the pressure of steam, but on the cooling property of steam.

The book does an okay job of covering the subject quickly and simply. Not really a great read, but it does what it should.

Most of us don't realize the textile industry had much to do w/ technology. We gotta have clothes, though. Once workers had extra income, they had money to spend on better clothes.More environmentally friendly practices developed although wood was still used for furniture and other construction. Concrete emerged to save even more trees.Once the wars and politics between countries subsided, there was competition for trade secrets for income producing products. Britain, Germany & the U.S. kept improving manufacturing practices, Chinese porcelain eventually was mimicked and profited from in addition to numerous other industries such as metallurgy and steel.Railroads spurred more commercial growth and offered another means of transport for the products. Some businesses set up right next to the train tracks to rush the goods to the destinations.The Japanese sped into the competition to become a major contender in international trade. They sent students to other countries to bring back information on how to excel. And excel they did!The colonial period arose, bringing up old wounds that started new wars. The major powers (countries) held tightly to their colonies and had to learn to collaborate together sometimes in history. Sometimes, the old disputes still stayed in the back of their minds, though to surface again.

I found the book a potted yet captivating and most informative history of one of the most important periods of human evolution, encapsulating scientific achievement against a background of social history.

This book is concise, well structured and wide ranging but some of the blanket assumptions (western colonialism was simply brutal and rapacious) are so one sided and unqualified that it marred what is a very interesting read.