What an amazing video! Either there's a glitch or I am actually the very first one to comment and praise the authors for the lively style of narration as well as for the fascinating history. It baffles me that so few people are following this amazing channel. What are the best books that tackle the history of civilization from the perspective of materials and technology? Any recommendations?
Thank you! We would recommend: • Vaclav Smil’s Energy and Civilization, 2017 • T.A. Rickard’s Man and Metals, 1932; it’s old but pretty good • Robert Raymond’s Out of the Fiery Furnace, 1987; also the PBS TV series by that name. Unfortunately there isn’t a ton out there. It’s a field that deserves a lot more books!
I just finished Treasures of the Earth by Saleem H Ali and it's an extremely comprehensive view of sustainability and resource extraction. Not quite what you're looking for by the end, but the the first half of the book does a great job of breaking down history like Isabel did here! You could also look at Fifty Minerals that Changed the Course of History, by Eric Chaline which might be exactly what you're looking for, but I can't speak to the quality of the book yet since I haven't started reading it. :) It's just on my shelf.
I watched this video and came back later to press the like button, when, after looking for a while, I realized this was leagues above everything else I found on the topic
What an amazing video! Either there's a glitch or I am actually the very first one to comment and praise the authors for the lively style of narration as well as for the fascinating history. It baffles me that so few people are following this amazing channel.
What are the best books that tackle the history of civilization from the perspective of materials and technology? Any recommendations?
Thank you! We would recommend:
• Vaclav Smil’s Energy and Civilization, 2017
• T.A. Rickard’s Man and Metals, 1932; it’s old but pretty good
• Robert Raymond’s Out of the Fiery Furnace, 1987; also the PBS TV series by that name.
Unfortunately there isn’t a ton out there. It’s a field that deserves a lot more books!
I just finished Treasures of the Earth by Saleem H Ali and it's an extremely comprehensive view of sustainability and resource extraction. Not quite what you're looking for by the end, but the the first half of the book does a great job of breaking down history like Isabel did here!
You could also look at Fifty Minerals that Changed the Course of History, by Eric Chaline which might be exactly what you're looking for, but I can't speak to the quality of the book yet since I haven't started reading it. :) It's just on my shelf.
Again the best videos I’ve seen on metallurgy and the history of the people involved with all of it excellent video
I watched this video and came back later to press the like button, when, after looking for a while, I realized this was leagues above everything else I found on the topic