Engineering in Plain Sight

Think of the pocket guides people carry to identify birds, trees, or wildflowers, then point that same approach at the structures built around us. This book applies the identification-guide format to human-made infrastructure and is written so that readers with no engineering background can follow along. Its purpose is to turn ordinary, overlooked sights into things worth noticing, so that a drive or a walk becomes an opportunity to pay attention instead of passing through a blur of routine.

Each section is packed with full-color illustrations that reveal how the constructed world works beneath its surface. The subjects include the electrical grid, roads, railways, bridges, tunnels, and waterways, along with many other systems. Readers learn to recognize the key characteristics of each one.

Because it is light enough to keep on hand during travel, the book works well as a companion for road trips. It offers a new way of seeing the parts of our surroundings that usually fade into the scenery. Ultimately, it encourages readers to become curious about how the infrastructure around them is planned, designed, and built.