This book was written by a chemistry Ph.D. and longtime fireworks practitioner. It was created because the author felt there was just no book that was understandable, current, complete, and safe enough for beginning fireworks makers to start with.

The book starts the reader out with the simplest projects and gradually moves to more advanced devices. There is a "build" to the sequence of projects in this book: each project incorporates into it what the reader has learned in earlier chapters.

Contains projects on making black powder, black match, quick match, fountains, drivers, rats and pigeons (line rockets), lances, set pieces, sparklers, tourbillions, cut stars, mines, aerial shells, girandolas, star pumps, comets, round stars, roman candles, star plates, and Clark's Giant Steel Fountain.

There is an excellent set of appendices that explain the chemistry and physics behind fireworks including what gives fireworks their color, what makes them explode, etc.

203 pages. 50+ photographs and illustrations and numerous tables.