This interesting and informative 144 page book gives a detailed history of traction engines, the giants of the steam age, through both text and over 100 photos, color and black and white. From the inside front flap: In its glory days, the traction engine was an impressive machine. Powerful and versatile, its potential seemed endless and it was adapted to many task, from ploughing fields to lighting fairgrounds. It is doubtful that we shall ever see machines that combine such beautiful simplicity, elegant decoration and massive strength again. This book celebrates these giants of a bygone age, offering an in-depth and lively study of the development of the traction engine and an exploration of the political, commercial and technological context in which it evolved.