Edward Garboczi
Tag: Book Review
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In 1906, which certainly falls in the early days of the automobile, a car set a world speed record of about 127 mph. This was a fast car for that era, but what is mind-boggling is that it was a steam-powered car built by the twin brothers Francis and Freelan Stanley. In those early days, it was not clear whether steam power, with its external combustion, or gasoline power, with its internal combustion, would win out. Today, we barely remember the steam-powered side of automotive history, but The Steam Cars of the Stanley Twins helps correct this oversight. The Stanley brothers gained the capital for their automotive efforts through their photographic inventions, which they sold to Eastman Kodak, helping the company rise to dominance in the photography industry. They went on to develop and market fine steam-powered cars that were elegant, fast, and comfortable. By the mid-1920s, internal combustion ultimately prevailed, but the Stanley brothers made a remarkable contribution to early automotive innovation. This short book by Robert Jackson is well-written for middle to high school readers and highlights a fascinating chapter of U.S. industrial history.