Henry Petroski traces the origins of the pencil back to ancient Greece and Rome, writes factually and charmingly about its development over the cen...
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Apr 13, 2011
Tony
rated it: 
Writers typically regard pencils the same way they regard ink cartridges or cups of coffee. They are consumables, means to an end. However, the history of this invisible, prosaic, throwaway item is the history of communication technology and fashion trends, international trade and the mercantile economy. The pencil made note taking a much easier task than it was in the days of styluses on wax tablets, chalk on slates and ink on scraped (and re-scraped) scraps of vellum. When written communicatio
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Dec 03, 2008
Eric_W
rated it:
Henry Petroski, that most excellent of engineering writers, uses the pencil as a metaphor for the study of the engineering process in his first-rate history The Pencil.- A History of Design and Circumstance.
The pencil represents innovation, ingenuity and inventiveness.
The problems facing a pencil engineer are similar in concept to those of an engineer building a bridge. The pencil lead must be created in such a manner so that it will be strong enough to remain sharp as long as More...
The pencil represents innovation, ingenuity and inventiveness.
The problems facing a pencil engineer are similar in concept to those of an engineer building a bridge. The pencil lead must be created in such a manner so that it will be strong enough to remain sharp as long as More...
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Jan 26, 2012
Angel
rated it: 
I really tried to like this book. The topic sounded very interesting, and as a writer who still does write by hand, I figured it would be interesting. However, Petroski simply does not know how to write or make an engaging narrative. Every time you think he is going to get to the history of the pencil, he goes off on some generic tangent--whether it be how wonderful engineering (as a field) is, or where I finally dropped off, some stuff about storytellers. That the prose is dense and dry certain
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Aug 12, 2010
Rebecca
rated it: 
This is a book about the engineering and evolution of the pencil. And it is more interesting than it sounds. There are times when it does become a rather dry account, telling you that this company moved here, or this company bought that one. And there are a lot of things explained that you have to really care about to want to read here, like how they get the lead in the pencil and all the different shapes and the reason behind them and things like that. I found a lot of it interesting but many p
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Apr 24, 2009
Martha
rated it: 
This book covers the history of the pencil -- how it was invented, manufactured, and developed over time. I read it because I was actually curious about what goes into making pencils, but the pencils are really just intended as a case study to illustrate what goes into researching, developing, and engineering anything, even a seemingly simple product.
As you might imagine of a book on engineering, the writing is wordy, and there's exhaustive detail that can be a bit too much at times More...
As you might imagine of a book on engineering, the writing is wordy, and there's exhaustive detail that can be a bit too much at times More...
Jul 26, 2009
Marie
rated it:
There were interesting bits in it, but I felt like I had to sift them out like veins of pure graphite in sub-standard ore. He repeats himself a LOT. I wish he had told me about the pencil half as much as he repeated the phrase "The pencil is a paradigm for understanding engineering itself." (I swear that exact sentence appears no less than 80 times.)
I liked the description of old pencil technology. The victorian pencil factories made me wax steampunk, and part of me rea More...
I liked the description of old pencil technology. The victorian pencil factories made me wax steampunk, and part of me rea More...
May 12, 2010
Murray
rated it:
Some good insight into the engineering process, and has a lot of research behind it. Some interesting things about an everyday object, and shows how many simple things we use might have deep, winding histories, but unless you're really, really into pencils it becomes a really long read.
Aug 31, 2011
Stuart
rated it:
Way too much detail into the creation of the Pencil. A 150-200 page book would have been perfect - as it was there was an exhausting amount of detail that shed whatever interest I had in the subject.
Feb 05, 2010
Kate
rated it:
This book isn't nearly as entertaining as it could be -- the author seems to spend a lot of time trying to justify why writing about the history of the pencil is A Serious Engineering Subject Just Like All Those Other Things, instead of getting on with the story.
When he *is* getting on with it, though, the information is interesting and well-written, so I'm going to keep on with it and see if the author gains some confidence as the chapters go by.
When he *is* getting on with it, though, the information is interesting and well-written, so I'm going to keep on with it and see if the author gains some confidence as the chapters go by.
Nov 15, 2009
Brad
rated it:
I found this book to be terribly written. The concept is brilliant, but the execution was horribly flawed. Each chapter felt like direction-less rambling. The only shred of structure was the Chapter Titles.
I really wanted to prove that I could read non-fiction, and enjoy it. Disappointingly, this was not the right book to fulfill that goal.
I really wanted to prove that I could read non-fiction, and enjoy it. Disappointingly, this was not the right book to fulfill that goal.
Jul 05, 2009
Ari
rated it:
Some of the material is fascinating; who knew that Thoreau was a somewhat serious engineer, who had an important influence on pencil design? But a fair bit seems to be something of an info-dump; I don't care that much about the exact corporate history of various pencil companies.
Apr 01, 2008
Jason
rated it:
I find Petroski's writing style non-linear and distracting. I'm not sure why, but his work is never lucid to me and his books are hard to read. I much prefer Norman in this respect.
Mar 18, 2008
Michael
rated it:
I do wish the author/publisher had stuck to the design of the pencil, instead of messing with the design of the book. The tall and narrow, it annoys me...
Jun 25, 2008
Melinda
rated it: 
A remarkably interesting story of discovery, advancement, war and utility.
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