Mitchell Wilson (1913–1973)

After a half-century, a long-ago gift is still a valuable resource!, December 15, 2013 By L.

My very-wise grandmother gave this to me when it first came out: I was just 10 years old (and a girl, and not gifted by any means in scientific pursuits), but I loved it right off. I consulted it for school projects through junior high and high school, but always considered browsing for sheer fun and edification, to be its ultimate purpose. Not only has this taught me more about science and show more engineering, creativity and dedication, and U.S. history than most books I can think of; but over the years I have also used it for planning lessons on everything from design to industrial history to advanced ESL. In three countries, on two continents, I have kept this long-ago gift with me, and have always been glad to have it: there are no other fairly-substantial hardcovers which have made the cut through so many moves. As an earlier reviewer said, it's also a great coffee table book, with plenty of conversation-starting chronicles, and wondrous illustrations. show less

Huge book, numerous illustrations on every page, strong narrative.

I wrote a tepid review of this book for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, but I don't have a copy of it. Got paid $25.

From Kirkus Reviews:

"Smooth stalking of kit, member of the Czech Underground, by Paul Campbell, art collector and penetrator, who tries to use her as a contact to other members of her movement. Blacklisted by the Underground for a slip, terrorized by Paul, she confides in Dan Shay, army reserve, slow, stolid, skeptical. After a high speed manhunt, Dan gets his case and his culprits for the U.S. Army. Not up to Footsteps Behind Her -- but slick."