The Art of Inventing

"The Art of Inventing" by Edwin J. Prindle is a guide from 1906 that explains how inventions are made and how they help businesses. Prindle, a member of the New York Bar, explains that anyone can learn to invent if they use the right methods, instead of believing that only some people are born inventors. The book looks at different types of inventions that can be protected by law, like machines and new materials. It shows that inventions come from careful study, thinking creatively, and using logic, not just sudden ideas. By breaking down inventing into steps—like finding a problem, studying old solutions, and putting ideas together—Prindle shows how even big inventions, like the automatic steam engine, came from simple beginnings and grew into complex answers to problems. He makes inventing seem less like a mystery and more like a skill anyone can learn by mixing imagination with hard work.