5 Fascinating Books That Will Change Your Mind About Elevators

Can you imagine yourself starting an interesting conversation about elevators? Although most of us don’t give them a second thought, plenty of intriguing books have been written that may have you rethinking this common method of transportation.

“Going Up: An Informal History of the Elevator from the Pyramids to the Present”

This “modern” invention appears to have a much longer history than you would have ever thought. If you are eager to find out more about its ancient origins, look no further. As the name of the book itself suggests, you’ll delve into the history of the elevator that can be traced back to the Egyptian times.

“A History of Passenger Elevator in the 19th Century”

This book shares focuses on the birth of modern elevators—those developed in the 1800s. It will help you understand what was crucial for making both elevators and skyscrapers a part of today’s world. Beginning with British and American freight hoists from the 1850s and covering the skyscrapers built in the 1880s, the overview will provide you with plenty of interesting facts and a fresh insight.

“Lifted: A Cultural History of the Elevator”

Although to most people elevators are nothing more than useful inventions, the author of this book has managed to prove that they are much more than that. Not only will the book give you an overview of their architectural and technological history, but it will also make you understand the role elevators ended up playing in both literature and cinema. If you want to know how the birth of elevators has changed our notions of urban space, then this is the right book for you.

“Up, Down, Across: Elevators, Escalators and Moving Sidewalks”

This is another fascinating read on the impact of the elevator on our culture. Ever since its invention, few parts of the urban landscape have stayed the same. Modern elevators enabled the construction of skyscrapers and ended up being used in a wide range of different buildings, including apartment buildings, retail spaces, offices and airports. Using a variety of image sources, ranging from historical prints and film stills to modern computer renderings, the author of this fascinating cultural study manages to show you the role the elevator played in the transformation of our cities into what they are today.

“Elevators 101”

Are you less interested in the history and cultural impacts of elevators, and more in the way they work? Do you want to know how they are powered and what types of equipment are involved in constructing and maintaining an elevator? If the answer is yes, then this is the right book for you. Elevators 101 is exactly what the name suggests: an introduction to the elevator technology, as well as a basic overview of elevator systems and equipment.