The combine was the machine that, more than any other, revolutionized global agriculture, especially in the second half of the twentieth century, making it possible to harvest all manner of cereal and legume crops quickly and effectively. The book analyses the journey the production and use of these machines took through the history of the different continents and nations, presenting a detailed account of practically all the manufacturers who played a part in this sector. Its pages are host to a parade of over one hundred different brands, from household names to those that have long been forgotten, all with their own history and the models they have rolled out over the years. This detailed and passionate account is followed by a thorough illustration of the combine's technical development, analysing each step in the evolution of the machine's individual component parts. Lastly, a rich appendix gives the main technical specifications of the models produced by the world's leading manufacturers, presented clearly and as comprehensively as possible. The book is splendidly illustrated with over eight-hundred images.