Synopsis
Profiles eight builders and their famous construction projects, including Imhotep and the Step Pyramid, Alexandre Eiffel and the Eiffel Tower, and William Lamb and the Empire State Building
Reviews
Grade 6-10-Aaseng offers a concise but thorough look at seven innovations in engineering, architecture, and construction. The projects range from Imhotep's Step Pyramid to the father-and-son team who built the Brooklyn Bridge to the Thames River tunnel and the Empire State Building. After an introduction to the builder that places the project in its historical context, the author clearly lays out the breakthrough that made its construction possible and the impact of that advancement on subsequent endeavors. Each chapter concludes with a look at the effect that the structure has had on society. The book includes plenty of black-and-white photographs, but they are sometimes too small or lacking in contrast to show details clearly. Sidebars define technical and unfamiliar words, which are repeated in the glossary. They also provide biographical facts and anecdotes about other people important to the project. Interesting statistics about the tallest buildings and longest bridges and an extensive index round out an engrossing book that will find a useful life in most collections.
Jeanette Larson, Texas State Library, Austin
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
The Panama Canal, the Eiffel Tower, and the Brooklyn Bridge are world famous, but few know the visionaries behind them. Aaseng gives eight innovative builders their due and provides historical context for their awesome creations--from Imhotep, who built the first pyramids of stone, to Frank Crowe, who raised the Hoover Dam from the Nevada desert, using enough concrete to pave a highway from San Francisco to New York. The wealth of information is well organized and balances personal backgrounds with the obstacles, breakthroughs, and impact of each project--then and now--on people, places, and engineering technology. The prose is clear and engaging, with a layperson's approach to technical information. Sidebars feature related anecdotes, fun facts, and word definitions. Historical photos, drawings, and diagrams are fascinating and well chosen. this is a lively, inspiring look at diverse individuals who defied odds and developed the means to make the impossible possible. Interesting statistics, a glossary, and a bibliography are appended. Shelle Rosenfeld
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