In spite of the many people who called his idea "folly," Robert Fulton built the first successful steamboat and launched the first steamboat business on American rivers. In doing so, he opened up the interior of the country to commerce. As a young man, Fulton loved to draw and paint, and even made pictures out of human hair. His fascination with how things work led him to design canals, submarines, and underwater bombs. This compact, easy-to-read biography is filled with fun facts about the multitalented inventor who changed the face of transportation.