Ever since I can remember, I have been fascinated by feats of engineering, even though I wouldn’t have known back then they were products of “engineering.” For example, I was obsessed with knowing more about the improbable construction of pyramids, how it was that voices could be sent over telephones, how tunnels could be built underwater, and more recently, how the world wide web could be so fast.

All of these topics and more are part of this overview of engineering feats from the beginning of civilization. As the author writes:

“The scientists who push back the boundaries of knowledge are rightly applauded, but it is the engineers who turn that knowledge into something that changes the world.”

The book reviews all sorts of machines that enabled people to pedal, sail, fly, communicate over long distances, and power up any number of devices. The author writes about the refrigerator, the transcontinental railroad, the Panama Canal, lasers, satellites, LCDs, DVDs, MRIs, smartphones, and even manmade islands and coastlines.

Jackson not only focuses on individual engineering achievements, but also reviews the basics of engineering, from the fundamentals of internal combustion, to the structural engineering that enables bridges to span large gaps, to a look at the different materials that make it all possible. You might be surprised to learn that mud, a simple mixture of earth and water, is surprisingly strong. The Great Mosque at Djenné, in Mali, is made of mud, still exists, and is now 800 years old!

He adds a list of “imponderables” - what possible innovations are in our future? Here he discusses Elon Musk’s proposed Hyperloop; the challenge of building in space; robots; clean fuels; and even how engineering might solve climate change.

A short biography of some of the greatest engineers follows. The author does a nice job here too, managing to convey the gist of their discoveries along with some of their quirks and “fun stuff” about them. For example, Heron (or Hero) of Alexandria was born around 10 CE, and yet described hundreds of mechanical devices, including dancing puppets, coin-operated machines, and a fire engine.

John Roebling, whose name many will recognize as the designer of the Brooklyn Bridge, died of tetanus after pouring unsterilized well-water on a wound. Nikola Tesla quarreled with Edison and went to work for Edison's rival Westinghouse. Tesla died in poverty however (he liked to gamble) at The New Yorker Hotel in Manhattan. Elon Musk also is featured; the author reports that actor Robert Downey modeled his Iron Man character on Musk.

Finally, a large foldout included with the book gives over 1,000 milestone facts. This poster includes a timeline showing important events corresponding to engineering achievements in the areas of Culture, World Events, and Science & Invention.

Evaluation: This book would make an excellent gift, either as a coffee table book for intermittent perusal and a goad to discussion; as a book for students to help them in school; or as an introduction to the most important artifacts and achievements in civilization. ( )