Construction History

A Scientific American Favorite Book of 2025 The riveting story of the McKissack family—the founders of the leading Black design and construction firm in the United States, from its beginnings in the mid-1800s to its thriving status today—in a moving celebration of resilience and innovation...

**Narrated by the Author!** Interior designer and television host Jeremiah Brent explores the emotional meaning of home in this warm and inviting book that illuminates what make peoples’ spaces so personally significant. For many of us, our houses are more than just where we hold our...

A monumental tale of American ambition, told by Pulitzer Prize–winning author and master historian David McCullough. This gripping saga of the creation of the Brooklyn Bridge, one of the country’s boldest engineering achievements, reveals not only the politics and personalities behind...

We live in an age of stone, yet we rarely look at the gray slabs beneath our feet. After water, concrete is the most consumed substance on Earth. It is the literal foundation of modern life, yet it is a material we have profoundly misunderstood. In 'Concrete: The Stuff That Built the Modern World', structural engineer Owen Briggs takes readers on a fascinating journey from the volcanic ash of the Roman Empire—where 2,000-year-old domes still defy gravity—to the crumbling parking garages and 'concrete cancer' of the 21st century. Briggs reveals that concrete is not a static rock, but a ...

How did a simple design error cause one of the great disasters of the 1980s - the collapse of the walkways at the Kansas City Hyatt Regency Hotel? What made the graceful and innovative Tacoma Narrows Bridge twist apart in a mild wind in 1940? How did an oversized waterlily inspire the magnificent Crystal Palace, the crowning achievement of Victorian architecture and engineering? These are some of the failures and successes that Henry Petroski, author of the acclaimed The Pencil, examines in this engaging, wonderfully literate book.

In the spring of 1931, in a rugged desert canyon on the Arizona-Nevada border, an army of workmen began one of the most difficult and daring building projects ever undertaken: the construction of Hoover Dam. Through the worst years of the Great Depression as many as five thousand laborers toiled twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, to erect the huge structure that would harness the Colorado River and transform the American West.

Children's author Andrea Winters presents: "Titanic Kids Book - Discover Fun Facts & Pictures About The Titanic Ship, The Titanic Crossing, It's Passenger List, The Titanic Sinking & More". This informative kids book includes great photographs & well chosen words to help children learn more about the world's most famous ship the Titanic. Aside from the amazing images Miss Winters presents in her Titanic Kids Book, she also covers some interesting facts and insights about how the Titanic was built, the maiden voyage, the ship's passengers and the sinking of this great ship. The pictures ...

Most people have heard of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, but while not as many have heard of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, those who have are aware that the Panama Canal is considered one of them. In a world where few natural rivers carved out over eons of time have reached a length of more than 50 miles, the idea that a group of men could carve a canal of that length seemed impossible. In fact, many thought it could not be done.

Theme Park Design: Behind the Scenes with an Engineer (20th Anniversary Edition) Have you ever wondered how theme parks create their magic? From soaring roller coasters to immersive dark rides, from spectacular shows to seamless park operations — discover the engineering secrets behind the world's greatest attractions. Written by Steve Alcorn, who helped design EPCOT Center and founded the leading manufacturer of theme park control systems, this insider's guide takes you behind the scenes of themed entertainment design. Whether you're considering a career in the industry or simply ...

Tucked away on the crest of the Al-Sabika Hill in Granada of Andalusia, Spain, just left of the babbling stream of the Darro River, sits a majestic structure overlooking the charming city and mystical meadows of La Vega. This palatial fortress and the fabled Alhambra are one and the same. To those who have seen it in its full glory, this was heaven on Earth itself. Many were quick to fall under the spell of its breathtaking beauty, with its admirers lovingly dubbing it “a pearl set in emeralds.”

The Great Pyramid is older than written history in most of the world. It is also still standing. No steel. No electricity. No computers. No combustion engines. And yet the engineers of the ancient world built structures that have outlasted every empire that followed them — pyramids that have weathered four thousand years, aqueducts that still carry water, roads still in use, harbors still functional, concrete that modern engineers are only now learning to replicate. Most ancient history is written about kings and battles. This book is written about what was actually built — and how the ...

Why don’t our schools work? Eve L. Ewing tackles this question from a new angle: What if they’re actually doing what they were built to do? She argues that instead of being the great equalizer, America’s classrooms were designed to do the opposite: to maintain the nation’s inequalities...

A “smart and surprising” (Booklist) “expansive history” (Publishers Weekly) detailing the role that wood and trees have played in our global ecosystem—including human evolution and the rise and fall of empires—in the bestselling tradition of Yuval Harari’s Sapiens and Mark...

During the 1930s, at the height of the Great Depression, thousands of workers began work on the Hoover Dam, built in the Black Canyon, which had been cut by the powerful Colorado River. The Colorado River was responsible for the Grand Canyon, and by the 20th century, the idea of damming the river and creating an artificial lake was being explored for all of its potential, including hydroelectric power and irrigation.

⚓ Dive into the Fascinating World of Maritime Engineering and Innovation! ⚓ Embark on a thrilling adventure through the captivating history and groundbreaking innovations of maritime engineering. From the ancient beginnings of Mesopotamian and Egyptian engineering, to the ingenious inventions of the modern world, "Maritime Engineering and Innovation" is your gateway to the technological advancements that shaped human history, cultivated our understanding of the oceans, and transformed the way we voyage across the seas. Unravel the mysteries of the sea and learn about: The powerful ...

A passage between two oceans—once thought impossible—became one of the greatest engineering triumphs in history. This book takes young readers on an exciting journey through the challenges, failures, and victories that led to the creation of a waterway that changed the world. From towering mountains to dense jungles filled with deadly creatures, the path wasn’t easy. Engineers, workers, and leaders faced landslides, dangerous diseases, and brutal working conditions as they carved a route that would save ships from traveling thousands of extra miles. Along the way, readers will ...

A monumental tale of American ambition, told by Pulitzer Prize–winning author and master historian David McCullough. This gripping saga of the creation of the Brooklyn Bridge, one of the country’s boldest engineering achievements, reveals not only the politics and personalities behind...

Now updated with groundbreaking research, this award-winning classic examines the construction of sexual identity in biology, society, and history. Why do some people prefer heterosexual love while others fancy the same sex? Is sexual identity biologically determined or a product of convention?...

The never-before-told inside story of the rebuilding of the World Trade Center — an epic tale of business, politics, and engineering by the man who spent two decades working to make it happen After the terrorist attacks of 9/11 destroyed the World Trade Center, New Yorkers and Americans faced...

The history of the twentieth century compels us to confront an uncomfortable and persistent question: how could a modern, cultured, and technologically advanced society participate in one of the most devastating crimes in human history? The Holocaust did not emerge suddenly, nor was it merely the result of individual decisions or wartime circumstances. Above all, it was the culmination of a long, complex ideological process deeply rooted in political, cultural, and social currents that preceded the Nazi regime. From Antisemitism to the Holocaust: The Ideological Construction of Nazism seeks...