First Vignette… way back forever ago…

How’d They Do That?


Former patent examiner Travis Brown explains it all in Popular Patents: America’s First Inventions from the Airplane to the Zipper, a September title from Scarecrow Press. With profiles of more than 80 inventions, the book provides the historical evolution of each invention, a biographical sketch of its inventor and a description of how the invention was made. Also included are brief histories of U.S. patent laws, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and U.S. patent models. “We think it’s going to be a great gift book,” notes Shirley Lambert, Scarecrow editorial director. “It gives quite a bit of insight into the patenting process,” she adds, predicting that the book will appeal to both men and women alike, sparking their interests with its meticulously researched details. (Fall 2000)