jjares reviewed on 2/10/2021 + 3292 more book reviews

Talk about a man raising himself up by his bootstraps! George Stephenson surpassed his father's job in the mines in only seven years. However, he was limited in progressing further because he was illiterate, so he took care of that problem too. What sets Stephenson apart from most men is that when faced with someone's better product (Birkinshaw's malleable metal rails), Stephenson recommended using them (instead of his own patented product) because he realized they were better. That is integrity.

Hourly History has written three biographies of extraordinary British engineers (see below). I recommend all of them. Late in George Stephenson's story, he and Isambard Kingdom Brunel (another of the famous British engineers) cross paths with each other over the width of railway gauges.

Hourly History - BIOGRAPHIES OF ENGINEERS
Isambard Kingdom Brunel: A Life from Beginning to End (Biographies of Engineers Book1)
**George Stephenson: ALife from Beginning to End (Biographies of Engineers Book 2)
Joseph Bazalgette: A Life from Beginning to End (Biographies of Engineers Book 3)

Back to all reviews by this member
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details