Brunel: The Man Who Built the World (Phoenix Press) - Softcover

Steven Brindle

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0753821257 ISBN 13: 9780753821251

Publisher: Weidenfeld and Nicholson, 2006

Synopsis

A celebration of the life and engineering achievements of Isambard Kingdom Brunel by two of the world's foremost authorities.

In his lifetime, Isambard Kingdom Brunel towered over his profession. Today, he remains the most famous engineer in history, the epitome of the volcanic creative forces which brought about the Industrial Revolution - and brought modern society into being. Brunel's extraordinary talents were drawn out by some remarkable opportunities - above all his appointment as engineer to the new Great Western Railway at the age of 26 - but it was his nature to take nothing for granted, and to look at every project, whether it was the longest railway yet planned, or the largest ship ever imagined, from first principles.

A hard taskmaster to those who served him, he ultimately sacrificed his own life to his work in his tragically early death at the age of 53. His legacy, though, is all around us, in the railways and bridges that he personally designed, and in his wider influence. This fascinating new book draws on Brunel's own diaries, letters and sketchbooks to understand his life, times, and work.

About this title

Review:

The illustrations in this book are quite outstanding... the book's design and reproduction quality make it an invaluable document of record. (BUILDING DESIGN)

suitably monumental... the supreme strength of this book is its beatuy and visual scholarship... after reading this wonderful work all should concur that Brunel can lay claim to the title of Britain's greatest engineer (Tristram Hunt HISTORY TODAY)

Packed both with interesting facts and rare illustrations... Brindle has produced an excellent book that is not only accessible but is genuinely riveting stuff, and I'd highly recommend it (RAIL)

excellent... Steven Brindle's book is immensley readable... contains a fantastic collection of images... It is a book to be read straight through, and then to dip into again and again. (THE VICTORIAN)

This is truly the finest biography of his life published to date: with accessible and informative text illuminated by a wide variety of images (FAMILY HISTORY MONTHLY)

Book Description:

A celebration of the life and engineering achievements of Isambard Kingdom Brunel by two of the world's foremost authorities.

About this edition

• Publisher: Weidenfeld and Nicholson
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0753821257
• ISBN 13: 9780753821251
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 196