*"The study of civilization is often the study of inventions and how they transformed human development. Inventors and Inventions is designed to introduce students to an array of inventors from the past and present while encouraging "interest in and knowledge of science" by exploring the history, development, and utility of a wide variety of inventions.

This set contains 172 alphabetically arranged articles on a range of inventors as well as 21 overview articles. Articles are signed, although no mention is made anywhere in the set of author affiliations or credentials. Inventors include the well known (Alexander Graham Bell, Galileo Galilei) and the less famous, such as Mary Anderson (windshield wiper) and Patricia Bath (laser cataract surgery). Some inventions have so permeated society, we forget there was an inventor; think of Coca-Cola (John Pemberton), the safety pin (Walter Hunt), and eBay (Pierre Omidyar). Each biographical article begins with a cover page containing inventor name, invention, dates of birth and death (if applicable), photo or illustration, and a concise introduction. Articles cover the early life, education, and career of the inventor and also put the invention in social and historical context.

Many entries contain one or more special-feature boxes that explore how an inventor's major invention works and quotations drawn from primary sources. (A cumulative listing of these quotations would have been a highly used feature.) All entries include numerous full-color illustrative materials, a time line of essential dates in the inventor's life, guides to further reading (both print and nonprint), and see also references to related articles within the set.

The 21 overview articles summarize technological developments within particular disciplines ("Computers," "Health and Medicine") or discuss broad topics ("Accidents and Mistakes," "Patents"). Volume 1 begins with a set table of contents and a thematic outline of contents (which, unfortunately, does not list the volume or page number of each entry). Each volume contains a volume-specific table of contents. Volumes 1 through 4 contain volume indexes, while Volume 5 has a comprehensive set index only. Volume 5 also has a set glossary (which might have been more useful found in each volume), a comprehensive list of further-reading resources, a biographical index, and an index of inventions.

Marshall Cavendish obviously recognizes the research needs and interests of the target audience for this set. The choice of inventors, the inclusion of more than 1,000 full-color illustrations, and the highly readable and engaging text all create a valuable reference for students and browsers alike. Schools and public libraries serving upper-elementary through high-school students where the study of inventors and inventions is a curriculum topic will want to give full consideration to this resource." STARRED REVIEW

"Arranged alphabetically by inventor, the 172 entries in this set include information on Mary Anderson's windshield wipers, George Eastman's handheld camera, King C. Gillette's safety razor, and Frank Whittle's jet engine. Articles are usually 10 to 12 pages in length and contain brief biographical information. Each one describes the inventor's work as well as the efforts of any predecessors or competitors integral to developing and refining it. Entries are accompanied by well-captioned vintage and color photographs, charts, drawings, and diagrams; a time line is included in each chapter. Lengthy essays interspersed throughout the set cover subjects such as "Accidents and Mistakes," "Energy and Power," and "Optics and Vision." A simulated parchment page in many articles offers related information, for example, "The History of Packaged Frozen Food," in the "Clarence Birdseye" entry. Sources for further information, including Web sites, conclude each entry, and are repeated in a comprehensive listing in volume five. The last volume boasts name, invention, and comprehensive indexes. Some accounts of these inventions can be found in other sources, but none are as inclusive and thorough as this one. "

"Who invented air conditioners? What about Coca-Cola and eBay? This set goes beyond the basic answers to such questions. Each of its 172 articles starts with a paragraph on the significance of the invention in question and includes brief biographical information and discussion of the inventor's research processes as well as the impact of the invention. Insets may include time lines or information on such topics as how the invention works, related inventions, and statistics. Each article also includes See also reference and a "Further Reading" section covering print and online sources. Twenty-one topical articles are scattered throughout the set, including "Accidents and Mistakes," "Contests," "Corporate Invention," "Invention and Innovation," "Patents," and "Young Inventors." Volume 1 has a thematic outline of contents, organizing the inventors in 4 broad categories; Volumes 1 through 4 include volume indexes; and Volume 5 includes a glossary, resources for further study organized by category, a name index, an inventions index, and a comprehensive index. The entire set is illustrated with colorful and well-chosen graphics.

Bottom Line Since the articles are appropriate for middle school through high school sophomore students, they are meant to make science and technology attractive to this audience. Although many of the inventors are included in standard biographical sources, these articles are broader and more comprehensive than simple biographies. Highly recommended for middle and high school libraries and public library YA collections."