Title
Throwing Fire: Projectile Technology Through History
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In Throwing Fire, Historian Alfred W. Crosby Looks At Hard, Accurate Throwing And The Manipulation Of Fire As Unique Human Capabilities. Humans Began Throwing Rocks In Prehistory And Then Progressed To Javelins, Atlatls, Bows And Arrows. We Learned To Make Fire By Friction And Used It To Cook, Drive Game, Burn Out Rivals, And Alter Landscapes To Our Liking. Our Exploitation Of These Two Capabilities Figured In The Extinction Of Many Species, And May Have Played A Role In The Demise Of Neanderthals. In Historic Times We Invented Catapults, Trebuchets, And Such Flammable Liquids As Greek Fire, A Napalmlike Substance That Stuck To Whatever It Hit And Could Not Be Extinguished With Water. About 1,000 Years Ago We Invented Gunpowder, Which Led To Guns And Rockets, Enabling Us To Literally Throw Fire. Gunpowder Weaponry Accelerated The Rise Of Empires And The Advance Of European Imperialism. In The 20Th Century, Gunpowder Weaponry Enabled Us To Achieve Unprecedented Mayhemthe Most Destructive Wars Of All Time. This Trend Peaked At The End Of World War Ii With The V2 And Atomic Bomb, At Which Point Species Suicide Became Possible. Faced With Possible Extinction Should We Experience World War Iii, We Have Turned Our Projectile Talents To Space Travel Which May Make It Possible For Our Species To Migrate To Other Bodies Of Our Solar System And Even Other Star Systems. Alfred W. Crosby Is The Author Of The Widely Popular And Groundbreaking Books The Measure Of Reality (Cambridge, 1996), America'S Forgotten Pandemic (Cambridge, 1990) And Ecological Imperialism (Cambridge, 1986). He Taught At The University Of Texas, Austin For Over 20 Years. His Books Have Received The Ralph Waldo Emerson Prize, The Medical Writers Association Prize And Been Named By The Los Angeles Times As Among The Best Books Of The Year.
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- Q: What is the main theme of 'Throwing Fire: Projectile Technology through History'? A: The main theme of 'Throwing Fire' is the exploration of how projectile technology and the manipulation of fire have shaped human history, from prehistoric times through the invention of gunpowder and its impact on warfare and imperialism.
- Q: Who is the author of this book? A: The author of 'Throwing Fire' is Alfred W. Crosby, a historian known for his groundbreaking works on ecological history and human impact.
- Q: What is the publication date of 'Throwing Fire'? A: 'Throwing Fire' was published on April 8, 2002.
- Q: How many pages does the book have? A: 'Throwing Fire' contains a total of 218 pages.
- Q: What is the condition of the book being sold? A: The book is listed as 'New' and is in good condition.
- Q: What type of binding does this book have? A: 'Throwing Fire' is available in hardcover binding.
- Q: Is there a specific edition of the book? A: Yes, the book is a 'First Edition'.
- Q: What topics does the book cover regarding projectile technology? A: The book covers the evolution of projectile technology, including the use of rocks, javelins, bows and arrows, and the development of gunpowder and modern weaponry.
- Q: Does the book discuss the impact of projectile technology on species extinction? A: Yes, the book discusses how human exploitation of projectile technology and fire has contributed to the extinction of various species.
- Q: What other books has Alfred W. Crosby authored? A: Alfred W. Crosby has authored several notable books, including 'The Measure of Reality', 'America's Forgotten Pandemic', and 'Ecological Imperialism'.