The Pencil: A History of Design and Circumstance | National Humanities Center

Work of the Fellows: Monographs

The Pencil: A History of Design and Circumstance

By Henry Petroski (NHC Fellow, 1987–88)

Writing Implements; Design

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1990

From the publisher’s description:

Henry Petroski traces the origins of the pencil back to ancient Greece and Rome, writes factually and charmingly about its development over the centuries and around the world, and shows what the pencil can teach us about engineering and technology today.

Subjects
History / Technology / Writing Implements / Design /

Petroski, Henry (NHC Fellow, 1987–88). The Pencil: A History of Design and Circumstance. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1990.