How it Works
Dealing in simple language with steam, electricity, light, heat, sound, hydraulics, optics, etc., and with their applications to apparatus in common use
How It Works, by Archibald Williams, is an Edwardian explanation of the machines of everyday life for readers who want principles rather than catalogues. It starts with steam, the boiler and the reciprocating engine, and proceeds through the steam turbine, the internal-combustion engine, electrical apparatus, the telegraph, wireless telegraphy, the telephone, dynamos and motors, railway brakes and the block system of signalling, then on to optics, hydraulics, heat, sound and devices from locks to pianos. The eye, ear, larynx and heart are compared with the camera, the reed pipe and the pump. Some two hundred deliberately simplified diagrams, labeled in words rather than letters, accompany the text, written in answer to the question Williams was asked most often. The full text is available to read online in your browser on Vinteuil, and the first chapter is free.
Start reading right away, without signing up. The complete text is included in Vinteuil Reading, or yours forever with a one-time purchase.
Frequently asked questions about How it Works
How it Works by Archibald Williams can be read online on Vinteuil, directly in your browser. The first chapter is free for everyone; the complete book is included in Vinteuil Reading ($4.99/month or $39.99/year) or yours forever for $2.99.
Can I read How it Works online?
Yes. How it Works opens right on this page, in a reader designed for long reading: adjustable text size, light, sepia and dark themes, a clickable table of contents and your place saved when you are signed in. No download or app is needed.
Is How it Works free to read on Vinteuil?
The first chapter of How it Works is free, without an account. To read the whole book, either buy its online reading for $2.99 (£2.99 in the UK) and keep it forever, or subscribe to Vinteuil Reading for $4.99/month (£4.99/month in the UK) or $39.99/year, with 1 month free for new subscribers. The subscription opens every book in the library and can be cancelled at any time.
Is How it Works in the public domain?
Yes. How it Works by Archibald Williams is a public-domain work. Vinteuil offers a carefully prepared digital edition made for comfortable reading on screen.
How long does it take to read How it Works?
About 4 h 58 min of reading, at an average reading pace. Your place is saved automatically when you are signed in, so you can read in several sittings and on several devices.
What kind of book is How it Works?
How it Works by Archibald Williams is filed under "Children's Classics" in the Vinteuil library.
