A Golden Thread: 2500 Years of Solar Architecture and Technology

by Ken Butti, John Perlin

A Golden Thread is a 2500 year history of solar energy, richly illustrated throughout.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Architecture, Technology

303 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1980

Reviews

[Palmer]

Fascinating book about the application of solar energy, and the economics which killed it due to the availability of cheap fossil fuels.

[David Bainbridge]

This history of solar energy could not be better. The authors lead us from the early days of solar architecture in Greece and Rome to the mid20th century. Excellent choice of material, clear discussions and good use of images. Should be required reading for all politicians. Needs to be updated to include more on passive solar developments beginning in the 1970s and the transformation of the photovoltaic industry as true cost accounting became more prevalent in Europe.

[Jessica]

Really well done! Despite being written in the 1970s and me reading it 2015, the Foreword and most material in the book is still relevant for today. Saddening how cyclical interest in solar is for the general public, but it was cool to see innovations traced through the years and even across countries. I would love a followup with more focus on non-US solar history (but maybe this exists already?).

[DJ]

I'm always drawn to engineering/science history. It really shows our silly cycle of dropping promising solar tech every time gas/coal prices drop. I wish good ideas were more influential than temporary economic incentives in selecting the winning technologies.

[Isaac]

Re-released with expanded content under the title 'Let it shine', this book is a good historical survey of solar technologies ranging from hotboxes and greenhouses to reflecting dishes, solar hot water collectors and photovoltaics.

[lee]

family history, everyone loves that sort of thing.