Engineering books

miss no stars

Figured this is probably the best place for this but mods feel free to move if it's not engineerey enough.

Finally got through the stack of books received at Christmas so had a potter around Easons but found their general science/engineering section quite poorly stocked So off to the internet to find something new.

Can anyone recommend interesting engineering based books? Just finished Colossus (http://www.amazon.com/Colossus-Hoover-Making-American-Century/dp/1416532161) so looking for something vaguely similar. Engineering based but not a textbook :P Something readable in the back garden like Was halfway thinking about something on Brunel but there seem to be a few of those and I can't decide which looks best. Thanks.

dan_d

We picked up one in the States called "To Engineer is Human (The Role of Failure in Successful Design)", by Henry Petroski.

It's a bit heavy going in spots and focuses mainly on mechanical and civil engineering, but it's quite interesting! What I found even more interesting (coz I'm a nerd!!!) is that it was written around the late 80's I think, when the computer was just beginning to play a bigger part in design, so they have some discussion about how younger engineers rely heavily on computer progs, relative to their older counterparts who are able to do everything by hand - and they warn against over-reliance on computers. There's some interesting stuff in there though. It is American, so it focuses on mostly American structures (and disasters!)...but still, some interesting stuff. They look at the Takoma Narrow Bridges, Crystal Palace, The Kansas City Hyatt Regency Hotel disaster...stuff like that.

One of the main points they discuss is that engineers refine their design processes through disasters and accidents.Not comforting for those who might read about it, but interesting because it's quite true!

Dardania

A book I really enjoyed was:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wide-body-Making-Boeing-Clive-Irving/dp/0340599839/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1307268873&sr=8-4

about the development of the Boeing 747, the 707 leading to the 747, and (except for the de Haviland comet) the birth of the jet age. Very interesting book - I would love to be involved in such a large engineering project.

Another very interesting one for me was:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001NMTH1W/ref=cm_li_v_cr_self?tag=linkedin-20

which solved the problem with navigating finally - very fundamental stuff! Probably similar in tone to your colossus book...

And a design book (and coincidentally the only book I bought for college!): http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0465067107/ref=cm_li_v_cr_self?tag=linkedin-20
which was very informative - and I use some of the principles actively when I design...

And I agree with dan_d about learning from your mistakes ;-)

BFassassin

Dardania that last link is for the longitude book as well. Can you update it please, the design book sounds like something worth looking at.

JoseJones

Great thread, I always found it hard to find good readable books about engineering projects and engineering in general, especially about aircraft and the aircraft industry.

I just bought the book about the B747, the longitude book and the one about failure in engineering design all for £14 delivered from sellers on Amazon!

I would have bought the third book Dardania mentioned but as pointed out, the link is wrong.

Ninja101

www.popularscience.co.uk
www.library.nu

Dardania

sorry guys my bad (I'm only after recently moving back to a mac, and the command-c versus CTRL-c shortcut is still emebedding tiself in my brain!)

Here's the correct one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0465067107/ref=cm_li_v_cr_self?tag=linkedin-20

hope you enjoy!

miss no stars

Hey thanks for those. Turns out my dad already owns wide body and longitude so got to start those immediately

zathan

I just came across this thread, but if you are still looking for engineering books that are easy to read and interesting, this one is really good! Especially for non engineers! http://www.amazon.com/Structures-Things-Dont-Fall-Down/dp/0306812835/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1314981111&sr=1-1

miss no stars

Currently reading "The Signal and the Noise" by Nate Silver. Maybe not strictly engineering (it's more about prediction), but definitely one I'd recommend.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Signal-Noise-Art-Science-Prediction/dp/1846147522/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1372415137&sr=1-1&keywords=the+signal+and+the+noise

Curly Judge

dan_d wrote: »

......One of the main points they discuss is that engineers refine their design processes through disasters and accidents.Not comforting for those who might read about it, but interesting because it's quite true!

Reminds me of the old adage: Any engineer can build a bridge that won't fall down.
But it takes a good engineer to build a bridge that....just....won't fall down.

Landoflemon

Another great book I read was 'Skunkworks', based on the events in Lockheed Martin in their skunworks devision, designing the SR71, and the stealth planes, best book I've read all year...and I've read 2 books!!

Dardania

Landoflemon wrote: »

Another great book I read was 'Skunkworks', based on the events in Lockheed Martin in their skunworks devision, designing the SR71, and the stealth planes, best book I've read all year...and I've read 2 books!!

I second this - great book:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Skunk-Works-Leo-Janos/dp/0751515035/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372420241&sr=8-1&keywords=Skunkworks

Curly Judge

Dardania wrote: »

A book I really enjoyed was:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wide-body-Making-Boeing-Clive-Irving/dp/0340599839/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1307268873&sr=8-4

about the development of the Boeing 747, the 707 leading to the 747, and (except for the de Haviland comet) the birth of the jet age. Very interesting book - I would love to be involved in such a large engineering project.

Another very interesting one for me was:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001NMTH1W/ref=cm_li_v_cr_self?tag=linkedin-20

which solved the problem with navigating finally - very fundamental stuff! Probably similar in tone to your colossus book...

And a design book (and coincidentally the only book I bought for college!): http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0465067107/ref=cm_li_v_cr_self?tag=linkedin-20
which was very informative - and I use some of the principles actively when I design...

And I agree with dan_d about learning from your mistakes ;-)

Anyone who enjoyed Longitude should try to get their hands on a booklet: John Harrison and his Timekeepers by Rupert T. Gould.
ISBN 0 905555 16 3. [The fourth edition was published in 1978]
Gould came across the four timepieces [in 1920] in a dreadful state of neglect and set about having them restored to working order.
I recently spent hours looking at them in the Greenwich Observatory Museum and marveling at the work and ingenuity of a rudely educated Yorkshire
carpenter.

Frogeye

Just bought the AISC Steel Construction Manual 14th Ed. A real page turner...

Curly Judge

Frogeye wrote: »

Just bought the AISC Steel Construction Manual 14th Ed. A real page turner...

Was that the one subtitled: 50 Shades of Patina?

Dardania

NASA have an ebook section which may be of interest:

http://www.nasa.gov/connect/ebooks/aeronautics_ebooks_archive_1.html#.UwDhyX8gGSM