One Good Turn

OK, it’s a little geeky. I’m betting you must be, too, or you wouldn’t be reading reviews of a geeky book. It starts with the story of how the author started: he was asked to write about the most important inventions of the last thousand years. Along the way, his wife suggested he look at screws.

It’s a fascinating story of these little things we use by the pound and how they’re part of the history of precision, and building things. And the history goes back farther than I thought.

By: Revit

Withold Rybczynski: One Good Turn: A Natural History of the Screwdriver and the Screw. I can’t give it enough praise. It is historically enlightening, and a totally enjoyable read. We need more like this.

Early advances in making tools and machines was dependent on how pieces of metal could be held together. Brazing dates from the 13th century. Of course there are many applications where brazing would be inappropriate because early brazing techniques required heating the entire workpiece. Screws and threaded nuts or threaded holes in larger workpieces were the obvious answer. We have a record of the king of France ordering threaded screws ca. 1465 but use of them was restricted because of the high cost of making them by hand.

I collect, research and write articles on antique wood and metal working tools. This terrific little book is one of the most useful sources of information and reference material on the early development of tools that I know of.

I was dubious, but when the book arrived and I read it I was more than convinced. It is a gem that should be in the library of everyone who has any interest in the history of tools or the evolution of the machine in industry.

As a bonus it is a very enjoyable read.

A good book on an overlooked subject, but incomplete. It goes into the history of the screw, and screwdrivers, but leaves out it’s relatives, the bolts and nuts, taps, and a good deal else. The definitive history of screws and hardware, together with the history of the machinery to make them, has yet to be written. Nevertheless, to give credit where due, anything that helps to make the real movers of progress in the human condition recognized is valuable.
Why is Henry Maudslay less well known than Napoleon? They were contemporaries. Maudslay was arguably a greater influence than Napoleon. Without his work, our machine age would not exist. Napoleon was merely another man willing to take power by shedding the blood of other men. Maudslay made possible the relief from drudgery and helped launch machines that made machinery, making reproducibly accurate parts.
Mr. Rybczynski does a valuable service in bringing to life these too unknown geniuses and benefactors of mankind. His is an easy evening’s read, and worth the time.

I down-graded my rating because the illustrations in this paperback editions were so poorly reproduced. As another reviewer mentioned, this is mostly about the author’s research and sources for this little history. Really, it’s more of a long essay; I read it in one sitting. To be donated to the local library.

Very well researched, this was a relatively quick read. That doesn’t diminish the quality or the depth of this adventure in tool history. This has the feel of discovery and travel as the writer explores a simple question that goes deep into history and half way around the globe.

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