The New Way Things Work cover
The New Way Things Work
by David Macaulay
ISBN: 9780395938478
Buy on Amazon
Found in 2 comments on Hacker News
itishappy · 2024-09-18 · Original thread
Anybody here have "The Way Things Work" or "The New Way Things Work"?

Haven't opened it in 20 years, but I don't think I've poured over a book the same way since.

https://www.amazon.com/Way-Things-Work-David-Macaulay/dp/039...

https://www.amazon.com/New-Way-Things-Work/dp/0395938473

Crito · 2014-01-23 · Original thread
My brother use to have a book (well, probably still does somewhere) called The New Way Things Work. It had simple explanations of how tons of different mechanisms work, but it had an entire chapter dedicated to explaining how digital systems could work, using woolly mammoths and various sorts of pie transportation devices. Really brilliant and detailed illustrations throughout.

I have always thought it was a wonderfully delightful way to introduce children to those sort of concepts. It was more EE/CE than coding (and the rest of the book was heavily ME), but I think the approach adapts to coding equally well.

(http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Way-Things-Work/dp/0395938473)