Story, Instruction Manual, Whatever

I'm looking for examples of a type of writing where the author seems
to be more interested in writing a how-to pamphlet than an actual
story.  The engineer that builds the neat device (and you can too!),
the medic that prevents a plague through measure that you can follow
also, that sort of thing.

Note that the plot device is perfectly acceptable to me.  I'm just
looking for examples where it seems the story was bolted onto the
instructions, instead of having an solution that is seamlessly
part of the story.

(I think I have one, but I'm looking for others before I compare
and contrast.)

-- 
	-john

February 28 1997: Last day libraries could order catalogue cards
from the Library of Congress.