The Beginnings of Piezoelectricity A Study in Mundane Physics

From the reviews:“The subject is the study of piezoelectricity—the production of electric charge by mechanical pressure and its converse effect on certain crystals—from 1880 to 1900. … In addition to illustrating the pretheoretical/theoretical division, Katzir makes it clear that the beginning of piezoelectricity can serve as a window on certain broad themes of nineteenth-century physics at the level of practice. … it does make readers wonder what broad lesson can be learned from it.” (Chen-Pang Yeang, ISIS, Vol. 102 (1), March, 2011)"Even though Shaul Katzir’s The Beginnings of Piezoelectricity: A Study in Mundane Physics is published as part of the Boston studies in the Philosophy of Science series, it will also interest applied scientists and engineers working on modern aspects of piezoelectricity and electromechanical transduction in materials. … is a useful and thought-provoking study of an often-neglected but exciting seminal field of material physics." (Reimund Gerhard, Physics Today, December 2007)