Elementary Secondary Higher Ed Common Reads
0 0
Download high-resolution image Look inside

Engineers of Dreams

Great Bridge Builders and the Spanning of America

Author Henry Petroski
Look inside
Paperback
$23.00 US
Knopf | Vintage
5.2"W x 8"H x 0.97"D  
On sale Oct 29, 1996 | 496 Pages | 9780679760214
Grades 9-12 + AP/IB
Add to cart Add to list Exam Copies

See Additional Formats
Petroski reveals the science and engineering--not to mention the politics, egotism, and sheer magic--behind America's great bridges, particularly those constructed during the great bridge-building era starting in the 1870s and continuing through the 1930s. It is the story of the men and women who built the St. Louis, the George Washington, and the Golden Gate bridges, drawing not only on their mastery of numbers, but on their gifts for persuasion and self-promotion. It is an account of triumphs and ignominious disasters (including the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, which literally twisted itself apart in a high wind). And throughout this grandly engaging book, Petroski lets us see how bridges became the "symbols and souls" of our civilization, as well as testaments to their builders' vision, ingenuity, and perseverance.

"Seamlessly linked...With astonishing scope and generosity of view, Mr. Petroski places the tradition of American bridge-building in perspective."--The New York Times Book Review

Table of Contents

1. Imagine

2. Eads

3. Cooper

4. Lindenthal

5. Ammann

6. Steinman

7. Realize
Henry Petroski is the Aleksandar S. Vesic Professor of Civil Engineering and a professor of history at Duke University, where he also serves as chairman of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. The author of more than 15 books, he has received grants from the National Science Foundation and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Humanities Center. View titles by Henry Petroski

About

Petroski reveals the science and engineering--not to mention the politics, egotism, and sheer magic--behind America's great bridges, particularly those constructed during the great bridge-building era starting in the 1870s and continuing through the 1930s. It is the story of the men and women who built the St. Louis, the George Washington, and the Golden Gate bridges, drawing not only on their mastery of numbers, but on their gifts for persuasion and self-promotion. It is an account of triumphs and ignominious disasters (including the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, which literally twisted itself apart in a high wind). And throughout this grandly engaging book, Petroski lets us see how bridges became the "symbols and souls" of our civilization, as well as testaments to their builders' vision, ingenuity, and perseverance.

"Seamlessly linked...With astonishing scope and generosity of view, Mr. Petroski places the tradition of American bridge-building in perspective."--The New York Times Book Review

Table of Contents

1. Imagine

2. Eads

3. Cooper

4. Lindenthal

5. Ammann

6. Steinman

7. Realize

Author

Henry Petroski is the Aleksandar S. Vesic Professor of Civil Engineering and a professor of history at Duke University, where he also serves as chairman of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. The author of more than 15 books, he has received grants from the National Science Foundation and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Humanities Center. View titles by Henry Petroski

Additional formats

Other Books by this Author

Related Articles

General English Language Arts Science Collections Health, Sports, Games, and Crafts Math The Arts High School Middle School Music

Get Inspired! Books for After-School Clubs & Activities

Coordinating after-school clubs and activities in your school community? Explore our collection of books that will help students discover their passion for new (and screen-free!) hobbies. Focusing on topics such as art, board games, crafting, cooking, nature, sports, and more—these books are bound to spark imagination and movement. Browse the middle school and high school

Read more

Get Inspired! Books for After-School Clubs & Activities

General English Language Arts Science Collections Health, Sports, Games, and Crafts Math The Arts High School Middle School Music

Penguin Random House Secondary Education

© 2025 Penguin Random House

Back to Top
0
    • 0
    Wish List (0)