Bridginess: More of the Civil Engineering Life

If you ve ever been asked to calculate the live load for a herd of elephants... If you ve ever built a sand castle to study soil mechanics... If you ve ever had to choose between your date and your favorite bridge... ...Brian Brenner has written the book for you. Bridginess: More of the Civil Engineering Life finds Brenner turning his pen and his signature wit to the subjects of urban sprawl, airport infrastructure planning, and, of course, bridges. After reading this collection, you will know bridges from more angles than a through truss. You will think twice before placing a salad on the roof of your car. And you will know just what makes a truly great college response letter. These essays range from humorous to informative, autobiographical to historical. They encompass the full range of Brenner's talent as a writer, as well as an engineer. With his charming and fluid style, Brenner makes civil engineering funny, interesting, and at times, even glamorous.

Brian Brenner, P.E., is a vice president and structural engineer with Fay, Spofford and Thorndike in Burlington, Massachusetts. Brian's work includes bridge design projects throughout New England and the New York metropolitan area. Brian also contributes as a professor of the practice at Tufts University, where he teaches the bridge and concrete design classes and advises students on several research projects. In 2008, Brian received the Fischer Award, given to the Tufts Engineering School Professor of the Year.