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Mill
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The mills at Wicksbridge are imaginary, but their planning, construction, and operation are quite typical of mills developed in New England throughout the nineteenth century.
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Paperback, 128 pages
Published
October 30th 1989
by Clarion Books
(first published 1983)
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David Macaulay is known for his architecturally-driven texts which combine the appeal of children’s picture books with that of an adult coffee table book; delighting readers of all ages. Being a fan of Macaulay’s “Castle” and “Cathedral”, I next turned to “Mill”.
“Mill” deviates from the norm of Macaulay’s other works and sadly: not in a good way. Although “Mill” is unique in its format of following the construction of more than one mill throughout time; this doesn’t successfully draw attention. ...more
“Mill” deviates from the norm of Macaulay’s other works and sadly: not in a good way. Although “Mill” is unique in its format of following the construction of more than one mill throughout time; this doesn’t successfully draw attention. ...more
Another in MacAulay's great books, showing how an Industrial-Revolution era mill (in this case) was built, along with how it fit into the culture that created it. His other books in the same spirit are Castle, Cathedral, Pyramid, City, Mosque, and Unbuilding. Lots of fun to read with or without kids.
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This is the first David Macaulay book I've read, and I loved it. I've had a thing for intricately-illustrated how-things-work books since encountering Stephen Biesty's Castle, which I first read when my age was in the single digits. Mill, though strictly black-and-white, fits the same mold. The real draw of the book (chuckle) is, of course, Macaulay's fantastic illustrations. These depict both small, local items (e.g. a comparison of water wheel types, a close-up of a fly ball governor, or a cro
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Read with the children in a (not-so-subtle) effort to plant the subliminal seeds which will one day bloom into their conscious desire to become architects. It may be I'm just in full dad-mode, but I finally love intricate and approachable description of how things are built and how they function.
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I learned about this book while taking a weaving class at Harrisville Designs in New Hampshire. The owner of the mill and company gave us a talk about the history of Harrisville and the woolen mill. In doing so, he mentioned this book. After visiting Lowell, Mass., and thinking about Harrisville, I grew interested in the history of mills in New England in the 19th century. So I found this book. It is a fascinating story of the building of the mill, illustrated by lovely, ink drawings of various
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Macaulay, as usual, effortlessly combines text and his trademark pen-and-ink drawings to describe a monumental construction. Here his focus is not on the great works of yesteryear — castles, cathedrals and pyramids — but rather the Industrial Revolution. "Mill" tells a fictional story about the construction of a series of Rhode Island textile mills over the 19th Century. He showcases the quiet brilliance and competence of the initial mill, then goes on to describe the series of advancements that
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Macaulay describes the various kinds of mills and then goes on to discuss the evolution of textile mills and the industry in New England. The illustrations make it easy for the intended juvenile audience to follow along with what is going on and are marvelous. Macaulay used readers from historic mill villages to ensure the accuracy of his narrative. While the preface of the book makes it clear the mills described in the book itself are imaginary, they are based on mills found in New England duri
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Macaulay writes and illustrates amazing books. I know way too much about mills now. This one wasn't my favorite to read -- it's a time period and place that interests me a lot less than those of Castle or Mosque or Cathedral. Still, there was amazing historical detail here. I also appreciated how Macaulay didn't shy away from the history of the United States in the 1800s. Dealing with mills in the north, it would have been really easy to gloss over slavery, but instead he shows a history where t
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I found the text to be rather dry, and the drawings weren’t as good as Macaulay’s other works. The drawings didn’t support the text that well, and I was confused how mills were built. In his other books, it was clear to me how other structures were made. That being said, I should thought it be somewhat informative and entertaining.
An informative book with beautiful illustrations marred only by being on a tablet scale rather than a full book size. I had a little trouble with the physical placements of the various buildings but think I got them worked out.
A piece of nostalgia. Not as good as Castle, Cathedral or Pyramid but still learned a lot.
Excellent Macaulay book. Thorough, clear, and with some poignant human touches.
Great sketches
I have loved his work for many years. This is the first time on my Kindle. Being able to zoom in is a real advantage.
I have loved his work for many years. This is the first time on my Kindle. Being able to zoom in is a real advantage.
Meticuloso, ameno e instructivo, este libro ilustrado entreteje la historia de la evolución de las fábricas textiles del siglo XIX en Nueva Inglaterra con los acontecimientos sociales, políticos, industriales y tecnológicos de la época.
Este tipo de historias, más que la historia enfocada en próceres y batallas, es la que se requiere para entender de dónde venimos, dónde estamos y hacia donde podríamos dirigirnos.
Este tipo de historias, más que la historia enfocada en próceres y batallas, es la que se requiere para entender de dónde venimos, dónde estamos y hacia donde podríamos dirigirnos.
This book uses extensive drawings and a smattering of fictional prose (simple short stories) to explain how textile mills along rivers used to be built and operated. The author goes through the construction and operation of three mills, with each being a little larger and more complex than the last.
This book didn't seem that interesting until I realized the book's alternate title could be "Factory." Fictional case study of the evolution of a small, Rhode Island mill-town provides an in-depth look at the Industrial Revolution in terms of the built environment.
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I love the creativity of David Macaulay's drawings. Hurray!
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I know these are written for a younger audience but they are great! Incredible illustrations and information. Highly recommended to a younger reader or an older one starting a new area of intrest
Let's face it: the author of Cathedral, Pyramid and City sort of slipped up here on topic choice...maybe the water wheel is pretty exciting to most people, but not so much to me.
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Harder to follow as was more engineering-related, but still remarkable. We toured a flour mill at a RAGBRAI stop, and I kept thinking of that day in Independence, Iowa.
Beautiful hand-drawn illustrations. A quick but informative introduction into water and steam-powered textile mills. Very approachable and easy to understand.
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David Macaulay, born in 1946, was eleven when his parents moved from England to Bloomfield, New Jersey. He found himself having to adjust from an idyllic English childhood to life in a fast paced American city. During this time he began to draw seriously, and after graduating from high school he enrolled in the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). After spending his fifth year at RISD in Rome on
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