One Good Turn — Witold Rybczynski

A Natural History of the Screwdriver and the Screw.

The screw and the screwdriver are implements that seem to have appeared spontaneously, as each is practically useless without the other. The clues to thier origin are scattered throughout Western history, and are pieced together as Rybczynski tells about how he came to write the New York Magazine article ‘’Most Useful Tool of the Millennium.’’

This book is short and to the point, and stuffed with stories of the technological advancements that brought about the advent, popularity, and finally the exquisite precision of the helical screw.

Tidbits

• In England, the square-tipped screwdriver is more popular than the Phillips (popular in the States). In my own experience, the square-tipped driver is the perfect tool for removing stripped (damaged) Phillips screws.
• The helical water pump has been used since ancient times.
• The first screws were made by hand on lathes, which themselves needed screws to be constructed.