This companion volume to The Seventy Wonders of the Ancient World and The Seventy Great Mysteries of the Ancient World examines well-known structures worldwide. Although the book is subtitled "1500 Years of Extraordinary Feats of Engineering and Construction," most of the featured "wonders" date from the second half of the 20th century. The selections are divided into seven categories: churches, palaces, public buildings, towers and skyscrapers, bridges and railways, canals and dams, and statues. Each entry includes basic information on history, structural and engineering details, innovations, aesthetics, and a sidebar "factfile." Written by 28 architects, engineers, and historians, primarily from the United States, Britain, and Australia, the book is intended for general readers. The photos and diagrams that complement the text are uniformly excellent. A more sophisticated, broader, but more expensive choice in the "building wonders" category is Donald Langmead and Christine Garnaut's Encyclopedia of Architectural and Engineering Feats. Suitable for school, public, and basic academic collections.-Russell T. Clement, Northwestern Univ. Lib., Evanston, IL Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
Adult/High School-A beautifully executed, well-organized work. Accompanied by good (mostly color) photos with explanatory captions, the text relates lots of facts: when a structure was built and why; its construction history; politics, if any; and basic statistics such as dimensions, etc. The information is condensed into two to four pages of interesting writing and illustrations per project. Sites are arranged by category: churches, mosques, temples, and shrines; palaces and castles (ranging from the Forbidden City to Hearst's Castle); public and state buildings; towers and skyscrapers; bridges, railways, and tunnels; canals and dams; and colossal statues. The piece on the World Trade Center includes informed speculation on the reason for its collapse. Useful for history, civilization, architecture, engineering, and physics classes as well as for general readers.-Judy McAloon, Potomac Library, Prince William County, VA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
