Steve and the Steam Engine

Sara Ware BassettProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.1

Word count: 335K words
Chapters: 34

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Steve and the Steam Engine by Sara Ware BassettAuthor: Bassett, Sara Ware, 1872-1968,Language: English, Class: TJ: Technology: Mechanical engineering and machinery, Release Date: Aug 5, 2007

Editor's review

This is a children's popular science story by Sara Ware Bassett, featuring a boy named Steve and centered on the steam engine, weaving the basics of mechanical engineering into the plot. As a free Project Gutenberg eBook, it embodies the value of early public-domain digital publishing, accessible at no cost. Covering mechanical engineering and steam power, it works as an introductory read for young people learning technical principles, and for readers interested in the technological history of the steam age. The language is English, and the length suits reading in sections. There is no need to chase plot continuity; focus instead on how technical concepts are presented, using notes to make sense of old-style mechanical terms. Overall it is more a popular science booklet with a story shell, valuable for lowering the technical threshold through narrative rather than for providing systematic engineering training.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Young readers curious about steam engines and mechanical principles
Students who want to use English stories to support science reading
General readers interested in the technological history of the steam age
People who want to access public-domain popular science through free eBooks

Not a good fit for

Professional learners seeking systematic mechanical engineering textbooks
Fiction readers who prefer strong plots and character development
Readers with weak English skills who need a Chinese translation

Reading tips

Read one chapter first to get used to the narrative rhythm, then go back and sort out the mechanical parts and principles mentioned
Look up illustrated materials whenever old-style mechanical terms appear, to build an intuitive impression
Use the book as English extensive reading, reading one or two chapters a day and noting new vocabulary
After finishing, retell the basic working process of the steam engine in your own words to check your understanding

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a novel or a popular science book?

It is closer to popular science presented in story form. The author uses young Steve's perspective to introduce knowledge about the steam engine, and the plot serves the technical explanation, so do not read it expecting a full-length novel; focus on the introduction of mechanical principles and parts.

Can I read this book if my English is not good?

The original is in English and involves mechanical engineering terms, so it requires some English foundation. If your reading ability is limited, you can first use a dictionary to understand it paragraph by paragraph, or choose an annotated edition; otherwise reading will be quite demanding.

Is this book suitable for children?

It suits young people interested in machinery and steam power, but adults should guide them in explaining terms and background. Younger children may rely more on illustrations or parent-child reading; reading it alone will have limited effect.

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About the author

Sara Ware Bassett Author · American · 1872–1968

Sara Ware Bassett (1872–1968) was an American author born in Newton, Massachusetts, in 1872. She taught kindergarten in public schools before beginning her writing career in 1907. Her novels are mostly set in small-town New England life, with a warm and everyday atmosphere. In addition to more than forty novels, she wrote informational books for young readers, telling the stories behind crafts and inventions such as sugar, glass, porcelain, printing, the steam engine, and wireless communication. Representative works include The Story of Sugar, The Story of Glass, and The Story of Porcelain, as well as Christopher and the Clockmakers, Steve and the Steam Engine, Paul and the Printing Press, and Walter and the Wireless. These books combine instruction with narrative interest, helping young readers understand technological change through the experiences of their characters. Public information on the details of her early education and writing career is limited.