Trucks, lorries, and vans share their origins in the steam wagons of the late 1800s and the invention of the modern combustion engine in the 1870s. As steam power gave way to petrol and diesel engines, trucks evolved and diversified according to their desired purpose -- becoming everything from panel vans and pick-up trucks to heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) or construction trucks like log carriers or concrete transporters. They have played a defining role in the wars of the last 100 years, saved lives as ambulances and fire engines, and even provided entertainment in the form of monster trucks.     256 pages  hc