"Only a writer as good as Alex Davies could take a litany of failure—a chronicle of broken things—and turn it into a celebration of human ingenuity. Things fall apart, but in Kobuk the Destroyer, Davies tells the story of the people who pick up the pieces, subject them to rigorous testing, and rebuild the world." -Adam Rogers, author of Full Spectrum: How the Science of Color Made Us Modern

"This highly entertaining book explains why appliances aren’t constantly catching fire and why planes generally stay up: that is, thanks to test engineers who, it turns out, quietly prevent disaster and save countless lives years in advance and behind the scenes, without the rest of us noticing. Kobuk the Destroyer will teach you to anticipate problems and protect your plans, whether from bears like Kobuk or other calamities, just like the professionals do—or else!" -Janelle Shane, author of You Look Like a Thing and I Love You

"Every day, we benefit from the creativity and curiosity of test engineers who reduce safety risks across transportation, health care, and every aspect of our lives. Alex Davies delivers an engaging and illuminating account of how these individuals make our world safer." -Mark Rosekind, former NASA scientist, NTSB member, and NHTSA chief

"Engaging, witty, and deeply insightful, Kobuk the Destroyer is a fascinating journey into the high-stakes world of product safety. Davies has a gift for making the complex, hidden work of test engineers accessible and exciting, filling every chapter with anecdotes that make you rethink the everyday objects around you. I absolutely loved it—it’s a brilliant and long overdue tribute to the experts who keep us safe." -Roma Agrawal, engineer and author of Nuts and Bolts

"While some books test your wits or even your patience, Kobuk the Destroyer tests far more, taking us through the often rollicking and relentlessly inventive realm of test engineering—where industrious engineers give everything hell so the rest of us don’t have to. Wildly entertaining and surprisingly profound, this book left me with fresh respect for the hidden heroes who make sure our world actually works. In the end, Alex Davies doesn’t just survive the test—he aces it." -Guru Madhavan, author of Wicked Problems: How to Engineer a Better World