in a book that business insider noted as one of the 14 books that inspired elon musk je gordon strips engineering of its confusing technical terms communicating its founding principles in accessible witty prosefor anyone who has ever wondered why suspension bridges dont collapse under eight lanes of traffic how dams hold backor give way underthousands of gallons of water or what principles guide the design of a skyscraper a biascut dress or a kangaroo this book will ease your anxiety and answer your questionsstructures or why things dont fall down is an informal explanation of the basic forces that hold together the ordinary and essential things of this worldfrom buildings and bodies to flying aircraft and eggshells in a style that combines wit a masterful command of his subject and an encyclopedic range of reference gordon includes such chapters as how to design a worm and the advantage of being a beam offering humorous insights in human and natural creationarchitects and engineers will appreciate the clear and cogent explanations of the concepts of stress shear torsion fracture and compression if youre building a house a sailboat or a catapult here is a handy tool for understanding the mechanics of joinery floors ceilings hulls mastsor flying buttresseswithout jargon or oversimplification structures opens up the marvels of technology to anyone interested in the foundations of our everyday lives