Bridges: Three Thousand Years Of Defying Nature

Bridges: Three Thousand Years of Defying Nature

From BooklistBrown offers a history of more than 100 of the world's greatest bridges, organized chronologically. He explains their origins and structure principle, beginning with the ancient world (Rome and China) and the medieval period (France, Italy, and the Czech Republic). Chapters deal with bridges of iron and stone, steel, concrete, and those with stay cables. Each chapter has an introduction, and vital statistics are given for each bridge--location, date of construction, and its designer. Brown writes that from prehistoric times to the present, the line of technology is unbroken; what has changed is its level of sophistication and comprehensibility. There are more than 300 color and black-and-white illustrations in this very informative account. George CohenCopyright ? American Library Association. All rights reservedComprehensive profiles of the world's 100 most extraordinary bridges.Few humanmade structures combine the technical with the aesthetic in such an evocative way as bridges. From ancient times to the present, bridges have had a unique attraction on the imagination, eliciting awe, wonder and passion.Bridges celebrates the stunning technical and artistic achievements in the creation, design, engineering, construction and social history of 100 remarkable bridges. The book reveals the secrets and science of the timeless masonry of imperial Rome, the elegant wooden edifices of ancient Japan and the soaring steel structures of today.Organized chronologically to follow the stages in the development of bridge engineering and construction, each chapter has an introduction followed by fascinating details.The vital stats for each bridge include: Location Date of construction Designer Construction materials and dimensions.An account of the creation of each bridge includes the difficulties, hardships and disasters endured as well as the solutions and innovations conceived. Superb color photographs and specially commissioned artwork celebrate these soaring feats of engineering.The final chapter explores how future bridges will look through examining the latest groundbreaking designs and projects.Bridges is a magnificently illustrated non-technical reference to fascinating engineering discoveries and innovations.ReviewThe world's greatest bridges, organized chronologically... the line of technology is unbroken, what has changed is its level of sophistication and comprehensibility. There are more than 300 color and black-and-white illustrations in this very informative account. (George Cohen Booklist 2006-02-01)A wonderful coffeetable book for architecture and civil engineering buffs... this one is truly global in scope. (Denise A. Brush Science Books and Films)Exceptional clarity of form and superb color photographs... written in clear, complete and suitably journalistic prose... Essential for undergraduate design collections. (Paul Glassman Library Journal 2006-04-01)Full of beautiful color photos and diagrams, the book offers a detailed and affectionate look at these construction marvels. (Science News 2005-12-17)About the AuthorDavid J. Brown is an author, editor and librarian. He is the author of How They Were Built, a children's book of architecture.Excerpt. ? Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.IntroductionYou will probably walk, drive, or be driven across at least one bridge today. So what? Isn't that all they are there for? Just to get "A" (you, other people, cars, trucks, trains, even boats and planes) from "B" across "C" to "D" as quickly and as easily as possible? Unlike a house, office, concert-hall, or hospital, bridges don't have to accommodate complex, developing, long-term human activities, needs, and services; people don't generally live, work, get entertained, or become cured in bridges. The better a bridge is at doing its job, the more transitory, literally, is your experience of it.But is that all there is to the subject? If it is, this book