The Engineering Book

June 15, 2015

Brain (founder of HowStuffWorks.com; How Stuff Works) describes here 250 engineering marvels, focusing not on how they operate but the performance requirements needed to achieve functionality. A book that proposes to introduce engineering feats across time is a daunting task, and readers will see quickly the errors of omissions that such a work inevitably entails. Most of the focus is on the 20th century, and inventions from Muslim lands are starkly absent. Each marvel is covered on a spread. One page describes the accomplishment, while the other provides a relevant full-color picture. The last half-dozen innovations listed toward the end--including brain replication and colonies on Mars--are yet to be achieved. No more than a couple of sources per venture are included in the bibliography. VERDICT Despite some problems, this book is a solid introduction to its topic and can serve to generate interest in the applied sciences and engineering. For report use, however, it lacks the depth that high-school students and older readers would expect, thus it's recommended for middle schoolers only.--Muhammed Hassanali, Shaker Heights, OH

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2015
This chronologically arranged volume on engineering begins with the bow and arrow, circa 30,000 BCE, and ends with a glimpse into the future ( Things We Have Yet to Engineer ). Entries consist of a few paragraphs on one page, with a photo or illustration on the facing page. Sample entries include concepts (Professional engineer licensing, Laparoscopic surgery, Green Revolution) as well as items (Leaning Tower of Pisa, Elevator, Parafoil, Hard disk, Frozen pizza). Handy see also references appear at the end of each article. There is a brief bibliography for each entry located at the back of the book, and a thorough index leads browsers directly to key people and specific inventions. As with others in the series (including The Drug Book, 2013), this is not a comprehensive reference book, but it would make an excellent starting point for student researchers and is very browsable for the general reader. Visual appeal, easily digested information, and an excellent price point make this entire series highly recommended for most public libraries.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)