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...

The demolition of Penn Station in 1963 destroyed not just a soaring neoclassical edifice, but also a building that commemorated one of the last century's great engineering feats: the construction of railroad tunnels into New York City. Now, in this gripping narrative, Jill Jonnes tells this fascinating story - a high-stakes drama that pitted the money and will of the nation's mightiest railroad against the corruption of Tammany Hall, the unruly forces of nature, and the machinations of labor agitators.

⚓ 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 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...

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 ...

They crossed borders at night. They worked without contracts. They built a country that pretended not to see them. Between the 1950s and the 1970s, hundreds of thousands of Portuguese men and women entered France illegally, fleeing dictatorship, poverty, and war. They became construction workers, cleaners, laborers—the workforce that rebuilt postwar France. They did not protest. They did not demand. They disappeared into work. The Portuguese tells the untold story of Europe’s most silent mass migration—and explains why its success came at a price. Drawing on historical research, ...

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.

Are we "noble in reason"? Perfect, in God's image? Far from it, says New York University psychologist Gary Marcus. In this lucid and revealing book, Marcus argues that the mind is not an elegantly designed organ but a "kluge", a clumsy, cobbled-together contraption. He unveils a fundamentally new way of looking at the human mind - think duct tape, not supercomputer - that sheds light on some of the most mysterious aspects of human nature.

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...

Cultural Threads: The Rich Tapestry of Esperanto History delves into the evolution of Esperanto from a constructed language to a powerful tool for international communication and cultural exchange. Highlighting its impact on literature, education, and diplomacy, the book showcases how this unique language fosters understanding among diverse populations and enriches global connections. With the advent of technology, Esperanto thrives today, uniting communities and promoting intercultural dialogue across the world.

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.

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...

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...

The great pyramids of Giza have intrigued humanity for thousands of years. Questions about the construction and the purpose of these majestic monuments have existed since the middle period of ancient Egyptian civilization; in the sixth century B.C., Herodotus was the first of generations of explorers to travel to Egypt in an attempt to unlock their secrets. Recent cutting-edge research has uncovered information, unimaginable to previous generations, about how and why they were built.

The history of the Panama Canal is a journey of dreams, challenges, and triumphs that spans more than a century. From the earliest explorations in the 19th century (1887) to the efficient Panamanian administration of the 21st century (2024), over 137 years, the canal’s story has unfolded, and since 1914, it has been a crucial connecting point for global commerce and a symbol of Panamanian resilience and sovereignty, though Panama’s geographic position had long been where the world gathered to transport its trade. This novelized chronicle of the Panama Canal begins with the French, who, ...

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...

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.

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.”

Enter the incredible world of intergalactic warriors, become a part of an epic saga, and forge your destiny with your very own energy blade with 'Lightsaber Construction 101'. This e-book is a complete guide to understanding the intricacies of constructing your personal lightsaber, an icon of honor and bravery in the galaxy. Immerse in the rich history of lightsabers, and discover different types and characteristics of these extraordinary weapons. Navigating the complex processes of constructing a lightsaber with efficacy, 'Lightsaber Construction 101' simplifies it for you. It guides you ...

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?...