David Macaulay·Books

The Way Things Work

Editor's PickThe Way Things Work

About

Explainer-in-Chief David Macaulay updates his worldwide bestseller to capture the latest developments in the technology that most impacts our lives. What possible link could there be between parking meters and meat grinders, jumbo jets and jackhammers, remote control and rockets, electric guitars and egg beaters? Macaulay explains them all!

Famously packed with information on the inner workings of everything from windmills to Wi-Fi, this extraordinary and humorous book both guides readers through the fundamental principles of machines and shows how the developments of the past are building blocks of the world of tomorrow. This sweepingly revised edition embraces recent technological developments, from touchscreens to 3D printers. Each scientific principle is brilliantly explained, with the help of a charming, if rather slow-witted, woolly mammoth.

An illustrated survey of significant inventions closes the book, along with a glossary of technical terms and an index.

Why we picked it

Karel
An immensely popular book that helps kids make sense of things. Macaulay cuts everything open, from a simple lever to a 3D printer, so the why behind each machine sits right there on the page.
Product
The Way Things Work
Price
$35
Categories
Age range
10+ years
Added on
Mar 18, 2026

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