Lives of the Engineers is a fascinating read that delves into the lives of two of the most influential engineers in history, George and Robert Stephenson. Samuel Smiles does a wonderful job of capturing the essence of these two men and their significant contributions to the field of engineering.

The book provides a detailed look at the personal and professional lives of the Stephensons, highlighting their dedication, innovation, and perseverance. From their humble beginnings to their groundbreaking achievements in railway construction, the author paints a vivid picture of the impact these men had on the modern world.

What makes this book truly captivating is the way Smiles weaves together the stories of the Stephensons with a larger narrative about the history of engineering and industrial progress. Readers will come away with a newfound appreciation for the ingenuity and determination that shaped the world we live in today.

Overall, Lives of the Engineers is a well-researched and engaging biography that sheds light on the legacy of George and Robert Stephenson. Whether you have a passion for engineering or simply enjoy a good historical read, this book is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Book Description:
George Stephenson did not invent the steam engine, that was due to Newcomen and later to James Watt. He did not invent the steam locomotive, that was due to a number of people including Cugnot, Trevithick and others. He did not invent the Railway. Railways or tramways had been in use for two hundred years before Stephenson.

The reason why Stephenson was known as ‘The father of the steam locomotive’ was that he took a primitive, unreliable and wholly uneconomic device and turning it into an efficient machine not very different to those which ran until fifty or so years ago, married it with the iron rail and alone, and against considerable opposition,began, via the Stockton and Darlington Railway, the Liverpool and Manchester Railway and then the London and Birmingham Railway, the development of steam railways in England and the world.

George Stephenson began life in 1781 in the worst and poorest of all circumstances, he did not learn to read until he was twenty years old, but he, together with his son Robert, became the foremost engineers in the railway world.

If, in the middle years of the nineteenth century you wanted to build a railway, then, if you wanted it big bold and imaginative you might go to Mr. Brunel. If you wanted it to pay however, you would go to the Sephensons.