Written in clear, accessible language, with illustrations throughout, this book describes the essential part played by metals in our lives at home, and in industry and civilisation. Fully updated and revised, this edition discusses many new developments, including improvements in iron and steelmaking and new magnetic alloys. In addition there are many glimpses of metallurgical problems rarely mentioned in other technical books; for example corrosion in the Statue of Liberty, and the use of lead to straighten the leaning Tower of Pisa. 'A superb piece of science writing. Like a whole generation of metallurgists, I owe a lot to Street and Alexander' - Nigel Hawkes, Observer