In his time Isambard Kingdom Brunel was the world's greatest engineer. His list of achievements is truly breathtaking: the Thames Tunnel, the first underwater tunnel in the world; the SS Great Britain, the first propeller-driven ship; the Clifton Suspension Bridge, then the longest span of any bridge in the world; and the Great Western Railway. History has been kind to his memory: many of his creations still exist and he is lauded by historians as a truly 'Great Briton'. In this full-scale biography Colin Maggs presents a portrait of a complex, ambitious and determined genius. But the Brunel that emerges is not without flaws. He made mistakes, both personal and technical – he wasn't always right but never admitted he was wrong. Drawing on Brunel's diaries, letters and business papers, we see the real Isambard, a more human figure, emerging from behind the towering structures and machines he created.
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Table of contents
- Cover
- 1: The Brunels, 1806–17
- 2: Youthful Training, 1817–24
- 3: First Endeavours, 1825–29
- 4: An Engineer in Bristol, 1829–31
- 5: The Great Western Railway, 1832–36
- 6: Marriage to Mary, 1836
- 7: A Steamship for the Atlantic, Great Western
- 8: The Great Western Railway Opens
- 9: SS Great Britain, the Ship that Changed the World
- 10: The Launch of SS Great Britain and More Railways, 1843–47
- 11: Another Tunnel, an Exhibition and Paddington Station, 1847–52
- 12: A Royal Bridge, a Submarine and a Hospital, 1852–56
- 13: Iron Colossus, SS Great Eastern
- 14: An Engineer to the End, 1859
- Picture Section
- Appendix 1: Significant Dates
- Appendix 2: Brunel’s Main Engineering Projects
- Appendix 3: Dimensions of Ships
- Appendix 4: The Rooms in 17 and 18 Duke Street
- Appendix 5: Household Staff, 1851 Census
- Appendix 6: Selection of Letters Revealing Aspects of Brunel’s Life
- Bibliography
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Yes, you can access Isambard Kingdom Brunel by Colin Maggs in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Technology & Engineering & Technology & Engineering Research & Skills. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.