Non-Fiction Books

Titles Containing Information on Multiple Inventions:

Bridgman, Roger Francis. 1,000 Inventions and Discoveries. DK Publishers, 2002.

Location: MHS Library--609 BRI

Short summaries of multiple notable inventions from 3,000,000 B.C. to early 21st Century A.D.

Casey, Wilson. Firsts: Origins of Everyday Things that Changed the World. Alpha Books, 2009.

Location: MHS Library--032.02 CAS

Short entries of more than 270 popular inventions throughout history.

Flatow, Ira. They All Laughed: From Light Bulbs to Lasers, the Fascinating Stories Behind the Great Inventions that Have Changed Our Lives. Harper Collins, 1992.

Location: MHS Library--609 FLA

Stories of inventions including photography, the blender, Xerox, artificial sweetener, the submarine, and the first video game.

Freeth, Nick. Made In America: From Levi's to Barbie to Google. MBI, 2005.

Location: MHS Library--338.02 FRE

Summaries of 200 American-made products including 7-Up, Ben & Jerry's ice cream, Heinz ketchup, Cheerios, John Deere tractors, K rations, and Snickers.

Harford, Tim. 50 Inventions that Shaped the Modern Economy. Riverhead Books, 2017.

Location: MHS Library--609.23 HAR

Short chapters on 50 different inventions, that run the gamut of time, including the plow, barbed wire, the birth control pill, batteries, the Google search, and the iPhone.

Ikenson, Ben. Patents: Ingenious Inventions: How They Work and How They Came to Be. Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, 2004. (3 volume set)

Location: MHS Library--608 IKE

A collection of over 100 illustrated patents for inventions like bubble wrap, barbed wire, television, and bicycles.

Jones, Charlotte Foltz. Accidents May Happen. Delacorte Press, 1996.

Location: MHS Library--608 JON

Highlights of accidental inventions including microwave cooking, peanut brittle, kites, white out, and more.

Jones, Charlotte Foltz. Mistakes that Worked. Doubleday, 1991.

Location: MHS Library--609 JON

Presents stories behind forty things that were invented or named by accident including X-rays, frisbees, and Velcro.

Newton, David E., et. all eds. Eureka! U-X-L, 1998. (6 volume set)

Location: MHS Library--R 608.3 EUR

Includes more than 550 topics about the creation of ideas and things in fields like the physical sciences, technology, and psychology.

Petroski, Henry. The Evolution of Useful Things. Knopf, 1992.

Location: MHS Library--609 PET

Short summaries of numerous inventions including the aluminum can, eating utensils, the paper clip, and Post-it notes.

Thimmesh, Catherine. Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenius Inventions by Women. Houghton Mifflin, 2000.

Location: MHS Library--B 609.2

Short chapter summaries of inventions patented (or not) by women.

Tomecek, Stephen. What a Great Idea!: Inventions that Changed the World. Scholastic, 2003.

Location: MHS Library--609 TOM

Summaries of multiple inventions including anesthesia, antibiotics, the clock, paper, and the nuclear reactor.

Vare, Ethlie Ann and Greg Ptacek. Patently Female: from AZT to TV Dinners, Stories of Women Inventors and Their Breakthrough Ideas. Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2002.

Location: MHS Library--609.2273 VAR

Summaries of multiple inventions by women including Barbie, the bra, chemotherapy, frozen pizza, the disposable diaper, and the vacuum cleaner.

Wood, Richard, Ed. Great Inventions. Time-Life Books, 1995.

Location: MHS Library--609 GRE

Discusses many inventions from earliest times to 20th century, providing information on how the inventions work and timelines of the invention process.

Wulffson, Don. The Kid Who Invented the Popsicle and Other Surprising Stories About Inventions. Puffin, 1997.

Location: MHS Library--609 WUL

Brief chapters about a number of inventions, many invented by accident, including animal crackers, zippers, and, of course, the popsicle.

Wulffson, Don. Toys!: Amazing Stories Behind Some Great Inventions. Holt, 2000.

Location: MHS Library--688.7 WUL

Describes the creation of a variety of toys and games including seesaws, toy soliders, and Trivial Pursuit.

Titles Containing Information on Multiple Inventors:

Challoner, Jack. Exploring the Mysteries of Genius and Inventions. Rosen Publishing, 2017.

Location: MHS Library--609.2 CHA

Summarizes the lives and creations of multiple inventoris including Benjamin Franklin, Joseph Lister, Karl Benz, Nikola Tesla, and Alan Turing.

Hallet, Anthony and Diane Hallet. Entrepreneur Magazine Encyclopedia of Entrepreneurs. Wiley, 1997.

Location: MHS Library--B 338.04

Discusses some of America's greatest entrepreneurs and their inventions/businesses, including Coca-Cola, Crayloa crayons, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Domino's Pizza, Radio Flyer, Smith & Wesson weapons, and Starbucks.

Jeffrey, Laura S. American Inventors of the 20th Century. Enslow Publishers, 1996.

Location: MHS Library--B 609.2

Some of the most influential inventors of the 20th century are discussed including William Lear, Gertrude Belle Elion, and Charles Ginsbur.