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Blowback: An Anecdotal Look at Pressure Equipment and Other Harmless Devices That Can Kill You!
Everyone should read BLOWBACK. And for a very practical yet critical each one of us comes within close proximity of some type of pressure equipment every day, if not several times a day. But most people rarely give thought to pressure devices. Without these mechanisms, however, civilization as we know it today would not exist. That s because pressure equipment is essential to the productivity, comfort, and well being of every man, woman, and child. Pressure-retaining devices are harmless when properly maintained and operated. The problem is the general public's lacking of understanding of what can happen if these mechanical mainstays are ignored, abused, or without constant monitoring.
271 pages, Hardcover
First published July 15, 2013
8 people want to read
About the author
Paul Brennan
49 books1 followerAbout the translator:
Paul Brennan firmly believes that you cannot judge a book by its author, and that when a book starts to speak, the author should be as quiet as possible, since the aim of art is after all to reveal art and conceal the artist. Therefore he refuses to follow the increasing tendency of spelling out one’s life story on top of one’s work and plastering a photo of himself where the reader would be better served by a mirror. Suffice it to say, he is a Tai Chi instructor at the Zhong Yi Kung Fu Association of Madison, WI. This book is in your hands now. Ignore him and read it with your own voice.
Paul Brennan firmly believes that you cannot judge a book by its author, and that when a book starts to speak, the author should be as quiet as possible, since the aim of art is after all to reveal art and conceal the artist. Therefore he refuses to follow the increasing tendency of spelling out one’s life story on top of one’s work and plastering a photo of himself where the reader would be better served by a mirror. Suffice it to say, he is a Tai Chi instructor at the Zhong Yi Kung Fu Association of Madison, WI. This book is in your hands now. Ignore him and read it with your own voice.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
July 29, 2016
Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
If I had to pick five words to describe this book, they’d be: educational, entertaining, cautionary, tragic and beautiful.
Educational: A ton of facts and history about pressure equipment/devices and disasters involving them are presented in the form of narrative and timelines. Some particularly devastating incidents even have their own chapters. Gotta say, I learned a lot. Bonus points to the author for including an extensive index and selected bibliography. This would be a great book to consult for school reports or research, or as a gift for history buffs or people interested in things that explode.
Entertaining: The topic and content were interesting, and there were a few offbeat chapters (like the one on human cannonballs, or the one on “postcards from hell”). Though the grim topic is treated seriously, there are places where the author’s (tasteful) humor shines through. A very enjoyable read overall.
Cautionary: Many of the disastrous incidents were the result of negligence or recklessness, and reading about them definitely drives home the idea that pressure equipment/devices are capable of powerful explosions and should be regarded with respect and prudence. Inadequate or improper safety measures, setup or maintenance, or doing something foolhardy like throwing a beer keg in a fire, can yield deadly and destructive consequences. I’ll never look at pressure equipment/devices the same way again.
Tragic: A lot of horrific death and destruction is covered in this book, much of it accompanied by chilling photos. (The photos are mainly of destroyed buildings, pressure equipment, trains, etc. Nothing graphic in the photos, though if you get squeamish over details of how people died, you might want to skip this book.)
Beautiful: The book itself looks fantastic. It's hefty and a bit wider than a typical hardcover. The cream-colored glossy pages have white and maroon accents, and they're filled with historical photos and images of paper artifacts (old ads, newspapers, letters, etc.). There's a lot packed into the book, but it's not cluttered--the layout is perfectly spaced. Someone put a lot of time and effort into designing this thing!
If I had to pick five words to describe this book, they’d be: educational, entertaining, cautionary, tragic and beautiful.
Educational: A ton of facts and history about pressure equipment/devices and disasters involving them are presented in the form of narrative and timelines. Some particularly devastating incidents even have their own chapters. Gotta say, I learned a lot. Bonus points to the author for including an extensive index and selected bibliography. This would be a great book to consult for school reports or research, or as a gift for history buffs or people interested in things that explode.
Entertaining: The topic and content were interesting, and there were a few offbeat chapters (like the one on human cannonballs, or the one on “postcards from hell”). Though the grim topic is treated seriously, there are places where the author’s (tasteful) humor shines through. A very enjoyable read overall.
Cautionary: Many of the disastrous incidents were the result of negligence or recklessness, and reading about them definitely drives home the idea that pressure equipment/devices are capable of powerful explosions and should be regarded with respect and prudence. Inadequate or improper safety measures, setup or maintenance, or doing something foolhardy like throwing a beer keg in a fire, can yield deadly and destructive consequences. I’ll never look at pressure equipment/devices the same way again.
Tragic: A lot of horrific death and destruction is covered in this book, much of it accompanied by chilling photos. (The photos are mainly of destroyed buildings, pressure equipment, trains, etc. Nothing graphic in the photos, though if you get squeamish over details of how people died, you might want to skip this book.)
Beautiful: The book itself looks fantastic. It's hefty and a bit wider than a typical hardcover. The cream-colored glossy pages have white and maroon accents, and they're filled with historical photos and images of paper artifacts (old ads, newspapers, letters, etc.). There's a lot packed into the book, but it's not cluttered--the layout is perfectly spaced. Someone put a lot of time and effort into designing this thing!
Displaying 1 of 1 review