In the second edition of The Machine in America, Pursell brings this classic history up to date with a revised chapter on war technology and new discussions on information technology, globalization, and the environment.

Carroll Pursell is an adjunct professor of history at The Australian National University and professor emeritus of history at Case Western Reserve University. He is a former president of the Society for the History of Technology (SHOT) and the International Committee for the History of Technology (ICOHTEC). He is the author of From Playgrounds to PlayStation: The Interaction of Technology and Play, also published by Johns Hopkins.