Autos And Progress

Autos and Progress reinterprets twentieth-century Brazilian history through automobiles, using them as a window for understanding the nation's struggle for modernity in the face of its massive geographical size, weak central government, and dependence on agricultural exports. Among the topics Wolfe touches upon are the first sports cars and elite consumerism; intellectuals' embrace of cars as the key for transformation and unification of Brazil; Henry Ford's building of a company town in the Brazilian jungle; the creation of a transportation infrastructure; democratization and consumer culture; auto workers and their creation of a national political party; and the economic and environmental impact of autos on Brazil. This focus on Brazilians' fascination with automobiles and their reliance on auto production and consumption as keys to their economic and social transformation, explains how Brazil--which enshrined its belief in science and technology in its national slogan of Order and Progress--has differentiated itself from other Latin American nations. Autos and Progress engages key issues in Brazil around the meaning and role of race in society and also addresses several classic debates in Brazilian studies about the nature of Brazil's great size and diversity and how they shaped state-making.

From an engineer and futurist, an impassioned account of technological stagnation since the 1970s and an imaginative blueprint for a richer, more abundant future The science fiction of the 1960s promised us a future remade by technological innovation: we’d vacation in geodesic domes on Mars, have meaningful conversations with computers, and drop our children off at school in flying cars. Fast-forward 60 years, and we’re still stuck in traffic in gas-guzzling sedans and boarding the same types of planes we flew in over half a century ago. What happened to the future we were promised? In Where Is My Flying Car?, J. Storrs Hall sets out to answer this deceptively simple question. What starts as an examination of the technical limitations of building flying cars evolves into an investigation of the scientific, technological, and social roots of the economic stagnation that started in the 1970s. From the failure to adopt nuclear energy and the suppression of cold fusion technology to the rise of a counterculture hostile to progress, Hall recounts how our collective ambitions for the future were derailed, with devastating consequences for global wealth creation and distribution. Hall then outlines a framework for a future powered by exponential progress—one in which we build as much in the world of atoms as we do in the world of bits, one rich in abundance and wonder. Drawing on years of original research and personal engineering experience, Where Is My Flying Car?, originally published in 2018, is an urgent, timely analysis of technological progress over the last 50 years and a bold vision for a better future.

"A History of Progress" chronicles the fascinating history of the Audi AG, from its beginnings in Germany in 1909 to its unique place in the market today. This detailed walk through Audi's accomplishments covers all of the company's changes through the years. The entire Audi "family tree" is examined in detail-Wanderer, DKW, Horch, Audi, Auto Union, NSU-with the models built by each manufacturer, their participation in motor sports, and bios of the people who made the company what it is today. You'll learn about the Audi UV of 1934, the Wanderer W21 of 1933, and the Horch 853 and its role in Audi's success in the automotive industry. Enthusiasts can read about the early years and the growth after the company's successful efforts in both marketing and manufacturing, the motorcycles and bicycles that helped in the lean years, the modern all-aluminum show cars, and the new A4 and V8 quattro. You'll see how Audi has built its reputation on motor sports success, from its first win in the InternationalAustrian Alpine Run in 1911, to the spectacular sixteen-cylinder Auto Union racers of the 30s, to motorcycle speed record holders, and the quattro rally and touring car champions of recent years. "A History of Progress" contains hundreds of rare factory photos and illustrations, presenting Audi's past and present in a hardcover, high quality book. Whether you are an Audi owner, enthusiast or automotive historian, "A History of Progress" belongs on your bookshelf.