Rube Goldberg: Inventions!

I bought this as a holiday gift for my soon to be 10 year old nephew; I thought he was at an age to be interested in creating inventions or imaginative contraptions. When the book did arrive I took a brief look through and it seemed like something that an adult would enjoy (like myself! - I certainly remember Rube Goldberg). My nephew seemed a little bit interested after seeing some of the comic illustrations but he wasn't so crazy about all of the text in the book. I need to reinforce his literacy. Regardless, this would be good for someone who loves reading and takes interest in imaginative invention building. I'll be taking a thorough read when I visit my nephew again and make him read me a chapter or two.

Goldberg is the Gold Standard of nutty inventors who inspire and delight others. This book gives us a take on who he was "in real life" as well as images of his "inventions." Read it for fun, or for information. It makes a great gift for those with a sense of humor, and for those who don't have his name as a reference to a wacky and complex way to do a simple thing.

Title says it all. It's a used book.

If you don't know about Rube Goldberg, there's a little hole in your life. And if you fill it, you'll be happier you did. And if you fill it with this book, that's a very good way to fill it.

Studying a Rube Goldberg invention really gets your mind working, weather you are an adult or a child. The boy I gave this to is already a genius, now he will be a more creative genius. Anyway, he is loving this book.

Simon and Shuster and Amazon should be ashamed of themselves. I ordered this book in good faith and what I got was a Print On Demand book. For those folks that don't know, Print On Demand (POD) is when the book is printed on a machine when it's ordered. I'm a fan of this process -- when it's done right. Saves on warehousing, trucking, resources. But the copy I got has the artwork squashed in from the sides so it's tall and narrow. This is not how it was created by Rube Goldberg to be read. Plus, if you look closely, the lines of these fabulous cartoons are blurry. This is totally unacceptable.On the back page of my copy, it states that the copy was printed on the date I ordered it, October 31, 2012. I guess that's what I get for ordering a book on Halloween -- it was a trick, instead of a treat.I haven't seen the original first printing of the book, but I am pretty sure it wasn't published like this.My issue is with the printing of the copy I received. The content of the book is a great collection, and well put together. It includes a terrific biography of Rube by Maynard Frank Wolfe that has many interesting illustrations and photos.Which makes it even more shameful that the publisher would sell such a shoddy version -- shame!UPDATE (11/20/12):I purchased a used copy of the original hardcover printing from 2000 (for $4 plus shipping -- as opposed to the $14.25 I paid for the "new" copy), and sure enough, it's 2 inches wider. The softcover print-on-demand (POD) copy I received when I purchased it "new" from Amazon measured 8.5 inches tall and only 8 inches wide. The hardback 2000 version I acquired measures 8.5 inches tall by 10 inches wide, so the artwork is properly presented, not distorted. Also, the artwork is crisp and clean, not muddy as in the POD version.It was easy enough to return the hideous print-on-demand version to Amazon, but I noticed that they did not give me additional money for what I had to pay to ship it back to them... which seems pretty unfair. Only a few bucks, but still... to sell a messed up book like this, and then rip someone off of the shipping to return it is pretty poor and not my usual experience with Amazon. I think Amazon should take this book OFF their catalog until the size and print quality issues are addressed. I'm not inclined to spend more of my time tracking down someone there to make this suggestion when I feel like it will just be lost in the vast Rube Goldberg like machinery of the corporation.If Simon and Shuster, Amazon, or whoever else is behind this fiasco can print and send a proper version of the book, in the correct dimensions and with clearly printed art, I will be happy to amend this review accordingly. Until then, my advice to anyone who would like to acquire a copy of this fine book is to seek out a used hardcover edition from the original 2000 print run. I adore Rube Goldberg's work and it really bothers me that there's been such an unecessary blunder. I can be contacted at [email protected]

So much fun. The mad genius of Goldberg is classic. Great gift.

Wonderful and creative drawings set imaginations free and give a glimpse into American culture of the times. A lot of fun to look at the detailed drawings, especially in the company of inquisitive 6 year olds! This is one that they'll probably remember in 20 years...

me lo sono letto

Era lo que esperaba

great bathroom read

Adequate collection, gets the point across, could be more complete & contextual -- but quite good as is.Does the Rube Goldberg job.Delivery rapid & clean.

Rube Goldberg：(簡単にできそうなことをするのに用いる)非常に手の込んだ〈機械・計画など〉[Reuben L. Goldberg(d. 1970)米国の漫画家の通称から]−−−リーダース英和辞典よりあるとき上の単語に出会い、心躍った。さっそく本書を注文。期待通りの内容だった。この人はゴルフ愛好家らしく、ゴルフをテーマにした漫画が多い。漫画自体は載せられないが、１つ紹介したい。「ゴルフボールをティーアップする簡単な方法」先端に風船がつけられた管に息を吹き込む→風船が膨らみ破裂→風船の下にいた亀が驚いて首を引っ込める→亀の首に結びつけられたヒモが引っ張られる→ヒモのもう一方の端は逆さまになったバケツのふたに結びつけられている→バケツのふたが開き砂が流れ出る→砂は管を通って地面に落ちる→地面には砂の小山ができる→一方バケツがカラになりもう一方の先端にあったハンマーがてこの原理で振り子になり下に下がる→砂の小山のそばに鳥がいて振られたハンマーに頭を殴られびっくりして口にくわえていたゴルフボールを落とす→落ちたボールが砂の小山の上にセットされティーアップ完了！この例にもあるように、プロセスの中に必ず鳥や猿などの動物が含まれていることが特徴的だ。実際にはありえないような設定だが、それだけによりいっそうその「ありえなさ」を楽しめる。愛すべき１冊である。