It Looked Good on Paper
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Summary
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It Looked Good on Paper by Bill Fawcett
Gathered in this book is a collection of flawed plans, half baked ideas, and downright ridiculous machines that, with the best and most optimistic intentions, men have constructed throughout history. Included are such military, scientific, commercial, and infrastructure disasters as: The Lead water pipes of Rome; Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapse; Edison's electrical folly; Betamax; Concorde crash; Hubble - A $2 billion telescope that didn't work; the Mars probe failures due to simple math mistakes; Cold Fusion; and, Ford Pinto. Some failed spectacularly, others fizzled after great expense, and one crashed on Mars. While this is a book about ideas and things men make that have failed, it is not a technical manual. Rather it is a fun collection that shows how an otherwise brilliant designer, scientist, architect, or doctor can often spend years or millions creating something that a few small bits of common sense would have prevented.
Bill Fawcett is the author and editor of more than a dozen books, including You Did What?, It Seemed Like a Good Idea ... , How to Lose a Battle, and You Said What? He lives in Illinois.
| SKU | GOR001195194 |
| ISBN 13 | 9780061358432 |
| ISBN 10 | 0061358436 |
| Title | It Looked Good on Paper |
| Author | Bill Fawcett |
| Condition | Very Good |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | HarperCollins Publishers Inc |
| Year published | 2009-01-15 |
| Number of pages | 368 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | This is a used book - there is no escaping the fact it has been read by someone else and it will show signs of wear and previous use. Overall we expect it to be in very good condition, but if you are not entirely satisfied please get in touch with us |