A Most Damnable Invention: Dynamite, Nitrates, and the Making of the Modern World
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.76 (959 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 031232913X |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 272 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2018-01-16 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
Nitrates were as valuable in the nineteenth century as oil is in the twenty-first and were the cause of similar international jockeying and power politics. The "nitrogen problem" of creating inorganic nitrates was solved by an enigmatic German scientist named Fritz Haber. Nobel was one of the richest men in a society rapidly transforming under the power of his invention, but with a troubled conscience, he left his estate to the establishment of the world-famous prizes that bear his name. Haber is also known as the "father of gas warfare" for his work on poison gas. Dynamite also caused terrible injuries and great loss of life, and, in some cases, incalculable and irreparable environmental damage. A Most Damnable Invention is a human tale of scientific obsession, shadowy immorality, and historical irony, and a testament to the capacity for human ingenuity during times of war.. The quest for nitrates takes us from the rural stables and privies of preindustr
Bown also has a good eye for the unintended consequences, ironies and contradictions that are the product of social and technological forces of great magnitude. The result, according to Bown, was a humiliating defeat that forced the French to submit to onerous treaty terms that helped set the stage for WWI. (Oct.)Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. That Alfred Nobel used the proceeds of his vast munitions fortune to fund the Nobel Prizes is perhaps the ultimate example. He's particularly good at penning provocative theories that link seemingly modest events to monumental changes in the course of history. For example, prior to the Franco-Prussian War, the French government, unlike Prussia, refused to allow its munitions experts to develop weaponry utilizing Alfred Nobel's powerful new explosi
The Boom in Boom Rob Hardy Each year we are treated to the announcements of the Nobel Prizes, and are invited to consider the irony particularly of the Peace Prize founded by Alfred Nobel who made his fortune perfecting explosives. While some might argue that explosives have brought victory and peace, their immediate effect. "Interesting Information. Oddly Put Together" according to George Poirier. There is much interesting information presented in this book. The topic of explosives is discussed from earliest times to essentially the end of World War I. The contributions of Alfred Nobel are particularly prominent, as are those of Fritz Haber towards the end of the book. The author's focus is. More bang for the buck!! Jerry Guild This book is an excellent combination of many things: History,Biography,Business,Politics,Warfare,Sociology,Science,Advancementof Civilization,Human Nature,Greed,Oppression,Philanthrophy.Loneliness,Failure,Success,and even much more. The author covers the development of explosives from its earlies