A Story of Travel in 50 Vehicles: From Shoes to Space Shuttles

In A History of Travel in 50 Vehicles, Paula Grey explores how creative thinkers--sometimes collaborating, sometimes competing, and always building on the work of their predecessors--have envisioned new ways to move about in the world. From the first foot migration out of Africa to the Model T Ford, hot air balloons, submarines, rickshaws, and moon rockets, humans have combined imagination, daring, and scientific and technical knowledge to improve existing vehicles or create new ones. Geography, culture, and available technologies have all influenced the development and use of vehicles in different parts of the world, and human travel has, in turn, often had a profound influence on society and the environment.Notable Features -Illustrates the persistence of creative ideas by tracing modern vehicles back hundreds of years to their original conception.-Includes a mix of common and not-so-familiar vehicles from a variety of cultures.-Presents inventors failures as well as their successes.-Challenges readers to think and engage by discussing social and environmental impacts.-Includes sources by chapter; teaching resources as jumping off points for student research; and endnotes.