Ben Waber reviewed Bulldozer by Francesca Russello Ammon
A Cultural History Lacking Connective Tissue
4 stars
This book is less about the bulldozer itself than about how it influenced culture during and after WW2. This is unfortunate since without background on the size of the bulldozer industry and other economic data one is left to sift through the focused cultural studies to piece that picture together. The opening section on the bulldozer in WW2 is by far the star of the show here, detailing how central the equipment was for US war efforts and in building skills that would later serve operators when they returned home.
I also have some totally minor gripes: I didn't like Ammon criticizing "Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel," and the steam shovel in "Are You My Mother?" is not named "Snort." It just says "SNORT."
This book is less about the bulldozer itself than about how it influenced culture during and after WW2. This is unfortunate since without background on the size of the bulldozer industry and other economic data one is left to sift through the focused cultural studies to piece that picture together. The opening section on the bulldozer in WW2 is by far the star of the show here, detailing how central the equipment was for US war efforts and in building skills that would later serve operators when they returned home.
I also have some totally minor gripes: I didn't like Ammon criticizing "Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel," and the steam shovel in "Are You My Mother?" is not named "Snort." It just says "SNORT."