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"Reading Petroski's fine book is not only a delight, it is a necessity." Houston Chronicle
Review:
"[A] gem of a book....[I]n marvelously clear prose, he gives valuable insight into the limits of engineering and its practitioners." Library Journal
Synopsis:
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. More than a series of fascinating case studies, To Engineer Is Human is a work that looks at our deepest notions of progress and perfection, tracing the fine connection between the quantifiable realm of science and the chaotic realities of everyday life.
Description:
Includes bibliographical references (p. [233]-244).
To Engineer Is Human: The Role of Failure in Successful Design
Used Trade Paper
Henry Petroski
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$8.95
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Product details
272 pages
Vintage Books USA -
English9780679734161
Reviews:
"Review"
by Houston Chronicle,
"Reading Petroski's fine book is not only a delight, it is a necessity."
"Review"
by Library Journal,
"[A] gem of a book....[I]n marvelously clear prose, he gives valuable insight into the limits of engineering and its practitioners."
"Synopsis"
by heidi@powells.com,
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. More than a series of fascinating case studies, To Engineer Is Human is a work that looks at our deepest notions of progress and perfection, tracing the fine connection between the quantifiable realm of science and the chaotic realities of everyday life.
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