Engineers’ Day: Here is a curated list of five books that ensure fun learning

It’s Engineering Day this Friday, and to celebrate India’s most favourite profession (after medicine), here are five lit recommendations to get you to learn and have some fun

Engineering as a profession has surely come a long way from just being the career option for 90s kids, because it led one to being more “marriageable”. As evolved as the profession has become, though, most of us are still mystified by how exactly engineers create towering and complex structures that shoulder the load of entire cities. With Engineers’ Day being marked on September 15, mid-day brings you five books that explain the fascinating concepts and feats of engineering in simple language.

Trapped Under The Sea

A different style of writing, in the sense that it is more narrative than instructional, this book still gives an intense glimpse into the world of engineering. In the 1990s, Boston built a state-of-the-art waste treatment plant to address environmental issues caused by sewage dumping. Neil Swidey, an award-winning reporter, reconstructs the dramatic story behind the plant.

Structures, Or Why Things Don’t Fall Down

The book by JE Gordon explains how everything around us, like bridges and buildings, stays together. It uses humour and easy-to-understand examples, with chapters like The Advantage of Being a Beam. It helps you understand how things work and is a user-friendly guide to the basics of how things that are built stay in one piece.

To Engineer Is Human

From the walkway collapse at the Kansas City Hyatt Regency Hotel in 1980 to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge twisting apart in a gentle breeze in 1940, Henry Petroski dishes out a collection of case studies that delve into fundamental concepts of progress and perfection, bridging the gap between the world of science and the unpredictable everyday life.

Built: The Hidden Stories Behind Our Structures

The author of this book, Roma Agrawal, is an award-winning structural engineer who has designed bridges, skyscrapers, and sculptures, and worked on London’s The Shard, the tallest building in Western Europe. In this book, Agrawal explores how buildings are made, how they stay up, and how bridges span great distances, discussing solutions from both modern times and ancient civilizations like 
the Romans.

The Existential Pleasures Of Engineering

While houses, monuments, temples and roads are aimed at creating convenience, they are also admired as art. In this book, author Samuel Florman explores how engineers think and feel about their work. Florman believes that engineering responds to deep human instincts and offers satisfaction in both spiritual and sensory ways. He rejects the idea that technology is a bad thing and presents an enjoyable view of engineering.

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