Breakthrough!

July 15, 2013
Melady (Canadians in Space) has a passion for history and a keen interest in Canadian innovation, which makes him the ideal author for a book on Canada's greatest inventions. In a writing style that's candid and conversational, he delivers 22 chapters on various Canadians who have accomplished great things. The individuals range from well-known names like Frederick Banting, who discovered insulin and Alexander Graham Bell who pioneered the first telephone, to Norman Breakey, who came up with the paint roller and Harry Stevinson, to whom the Crash Position Indicator can be attributed. Melady describes the historical context in which each discovery or innovation occurred and the background of the individual, offering readers a deeper understanding of the inventor, the relevance of the invention and how it came to be. "Canadiansâ¦have invented with little fanfare, financing or expectation. Yet our creations are important," the author asserts. He proudly lists those inventions, from physically small ones such as the Robertson screwdriver to the jetliner. Those profiled are not confined to any particular industry or time span â rather, their work is considered in light of the ways it has benefited the world or changed the way things are done. Sadly, though there are certainly female innovators and inventors in Canada, the book is a collection of exclusively male talent. (June) Canadian distribution: UTP. U.S. distribution: Ingram