Author : John Rae & Rudi Volti
Genre : Non Fiction.
What is it about? : As the name implies this book traces the origins and the evolution of Engineers in History. Of course Engineer as a designation and a profession came into effect only recently during the Industrial revolution.
How I came to read it : This is one of those books I had marked for reading when I went on a round of libraries on UBC campus. Being an Engineer myself I was always interested in the History of Engineers.
Did I like it? : Yes I did. It is one of the best books on Engineering in general.
Why?/Summary/My views : The book is spread out into 10 chapters with each chapter dealing with the different time periods of human history. It is a well written book which traces the evolution of the place of an Engineer in society. The term ‘Engineer’ is a recent word developed during the Industrial Age in Britain. But the role of a builder of practical machines and buildings was called different things in different places and times. The book traces all the significant periods and the people who made Engineering what it is today. There are also interesting pieces in the book like an personal accounts from diaries of people involved in building projects of ancient times and other interesting tidbits of info.
Why should you read it? : If you an Engineer this is a must read book as it makes you understand the place of Engineer in a society and how it evolved over the years.