Magicians of Engineering
The other day I was reading the “Night of the New Magicians” by Mary Pope Osborn with my son. The story is about a young boy and girl who travel back in time to the 1889 World's Fair in Paris to find four new magicians and learn their secrets. The new magicians turn out to be Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Louis Pasteur and Gustave Eiffel and their secrets inspirational advice. A search of Google produced some quotations by these famous engineers:
Alexander Graham Bell - (1847–1922) born in Edinburgh he was an eminent scientist, inventor and innovator who is credited with inventing the first practical telephone.
- "When one door closes another door opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us."
- "Before anything else, preparation is the key to success."
Thomas Alva Edison - (1847–1931) was an American inventor who developed many devices that greatly including the phonograph and the long-lasting, practical electric light bulb.
- "Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration."
- "I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that don’t work."
Louis Pasteur (1822–1895) was a French chemist and microbiologist best known for his remarkable breakthroughs in the causes and prevention of disease and his experimental support of the germ theory of disease.
- "In the field of observation, chance favors only the prepared mind."
Gustave Eiffel - (1832–1927) was a French structural engineer and architect famous for designing the Eiffel Tower, e 1889 Universal Exposition in Paris, France, the Basilica Minore de San Sebastian and armature for the Statue of Liberty.
- "I ought to be jealous of the tower. She is more famous than I am." - not as inspirational as the other quotes, but a nice one anyhow.
Inspirational quotations are always good to look at. I may even try to remember these (particularly Alexander Graham Bell's opening and closing doors). Finally if you do if you have children of the right age then the book is pretty good.
External Links
Edited 08 March 2013 - removed links where no longer valid