New folks discover steampunk every day, and often their first question is, "What is steampunk?", and their second question is, "What do steampunks do?".Steampunk For Simpletons starts with those questions and expands outward to cover a plethora of topics. We give a primer followed by a guided tour through the world of steampunk, from the basics such as where to go and what to do, to the aesthetic of the arts within steampunk.
Travis I. Sivart and Wendy L. Callahan are both published steampunk authors, as well as having a weekly radio show on the subject. Though they do not claim to be the ultimate or complete authority in this beloved genre, they wrote this book hoping to help new folks find their way into the hobby, or help others expand their knowledge of the aesthetic. They also drew upon the knowledge, expertise, and wisdom of many others (like their cats) from the steampunk community, making their book an inclusive and cooperative work.