Iron and Steel

Iron and Steel. Ceramics. Dyes. Glass. Gold. All are important materials that have impacted civilization. In Ruth G. Kassinger's five-book Material World series, she traces the history and science of these important materials and tells how they are being used today. Ancient people of the Near East were the first to discover how to turn iron ore into wrought iron and then to fashion this sturdy metal into tools, weapons, and other implements. Later, blacksmiths learned to make iron into steel. In Iron and Steel: from Thor's Hammer to the Space Shuttle, Kassinger covers the history of iron and steel from early times to the present. She also relates some of the myths associated with these materials and explains the science behind their production and use. Book jacket.