Review from Booklist, 1. December 2005
"Seeking "to explore how people have used technology to shape societies," Carlson and 10 other scholars examine the distinctive development and effects of technology in 18 cultures-defined either geographically ("Pacific Peoples," "Sub-Saharan Africa") or by historical period ("Stone Age," "The World Since 1970"). Each chapter considers one such culture, opening with a time line and then going on to outline social and political changes brought about by innovations in agriculture, weaponry, arts, and industry. The central texts are supplemented by frequent boxes, as well as substantial captions for a rich array of colorful maps and drawings, photographs of artifacts, and reproductions of period art. The final volume is mostly index, but also includes digestible lists of books and Web sites. Though the arbitrary arrangement leads to an incomplete picture-students seeking some insight into the effects of Asian imports on U.S. technology or society will have to look elsewhere, for instance-this resource adds useful historical perspective to more in-depth topical surveys, such as Exploring Technology (Marshall Cavendish, 2003)." - School Library Journal, February 2006
