Macaulay, David. Toilet: How It Works.

Macaulay, David.  Toilet: How It Works.  Macmillan/Farrar St  paperback  2013  32p  $3.99  ISBN 978-1-59643-780-7  elem/ms  Nonfiction  E-BN 

     

In this gem of a book, Macaulay explains how toilets work through his words and his pictures.  Every aspect of the mechanics of toilets is explained clearly, from the inner construction of the commode in your home to the workings of a major sewage system.  The slightly humorous tone is perfect for the subject, and the illustrations complement the explanations in a very helpful way.  People of any age will learn from this well-written book.

This reviewer has a major quibble with the glossary in the back of the book, in which the part of speech of the word being defined does not always match the part of speech of the definition.  For example, the definition of “aeration” (a noun ) is given as “to add air” (a verb).  A more proper definition would have been “the addition of air.”  There were a few others as well, in which the parts of speech didn’t match.  In a book of this caliber, the glossary should be perfect.

Summary: In this gem of a book, Macaulay explains how toilets work through his words and his pictures.

Toilets, Plumbing, Sewage                                         --Carol Kennedy

Macaulay, David. Built to Last.

Macaulay, David Built to Last
Houghton Mifflin/Clarion/Graphia/Kingfisher 2010 272p 24.99 978-0-547-34240-5 ms/hs Architecture E-BN


This spectacular compendium combines three of David Macaulay's books, Castle, Cathedral, and Mosque into one volume. This is not simply a reprint of the earlier books but offers a greatly amplified and fully colored version of the originals. Macaulay has added an immense amount of new material to both the text and the beautifully rendered illustrations that create a whole new look to each section of Castle and Cathedral matching them more closely to Mosque. He explains the construction of some of the most remarkable buildings man has ever built, focusing on the connections between design and creation and planning and success. Macaulay discusses the methods the early architects, engineers, and builders used to erect these architectural wonders beginning with the basic questions of what should be the suitable design for each project and the solutions found to address any problems. He clearly presents the information necessary for the construction of each project, whether it be the footings to support a wall or the stresses necessary to overcome in the addition of a magnificent dome. The challenges of the constructions are also explained clearly and succinctly with emphasis on how the builders adapted either their projects or the surrounding area to accommodate them. He provides beautifully rendered illustrations of each project under construction, complete with architectural drawings, and a ╥picture╙ of the finished item. The drawings are carefully labeled with each caption explaining the process and fit in perfectly with the text. The book ends with a glossary of many of the construction terms but no index. Ogintz, Susan