The History of Transportation

How did humanity move from walking remembered paths to crossing oceans, continents and the atmosphere? The History of Transportation tells the global story of mobility as more than a parade of inventions. It follows human endurance, animal power, wheels, roads, river craft, Pacific navigation, caravans, canals and sailing ships before examining steam, railways, bicycles, trams, motor cars, subways, aviation, container shipping and space travel. Along the way, Murat Smith explains the infrastructure, workers, energy systems and political choices behind every celebrated vehicle. Richly illustrated with genuine historical works and documentary images, this accessible history balances technical achievement with questions of safety, empire, disability, labour and environmental cost. The result is a vivid account of how transport changed time, settlement and opportunity - and why the future of mobility will depend on systems and public choices rather than one miraculous machine.