Description
Discover the most incredible man-made wonders, from Stonehenge to Burj Khalifa, with this unparalleled catalog of the most famous and intriguing buildings and monuments created by humans.
Man-Made Wonders of the World features a range of structures from buildings to monuments, statues, and bridges, including the Golden Gate Bridge and Hoover Dam.
It opens with a foreword by Dan Cruickshank and then takes the reader on a continent-by-continent journey, exploring and charting the innovations, ingenuity, and imagination employed by different cultures to create iconic buildings such as the Great Pyramid of Giza. This truly global approach reveals how humans tackled similar challenges, such as keeping the enemy out, in vastly different parts of the world, from the Great Wall of China to the defensive walls of Central American cities. Illustrations explain how the structures were built, while explanations cover the history, architecture, and unique stories behind their construction.
Featuring breathtaking images, Man-Made Wonders of the World is a complete celebration of the world humans have built over thousands of years.
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Gary E. Hoover, Business History Lover –
I buy tons of books, and this is one of the 3 or 4 most stunningly beautiful of 2019. It is also a tour de force of knowledge about global architecture and engineering. Every region of the world, historic era, and type and style of structure is included. I have been to 45 countries in search of great architecture, yet discovered many sites I had not been aware of, as well as many of the best I have already visited. This is one of the really great books…..DK has outdone themselves, which is saying a lot!
Dr. Tim Parker –
This is a lovely book, both to actually read through page-by-page and to leave as a coffee table book (decoration, in other words!). But unlike some coffee table books, this one is actually interesting and informative!
The book is focussed on man-made structures (buildings, bridges, etc) throughout history. Each structure is given a maximum of a double-page spread, most with one page or less, and has accompanying text explaining the building of the structure and what’s special about it, along with lots of photographs and diagrams. To say “heavily illustrated” would imply, in some peoples mind, that the pictures take dominance over the text, but they balance out and the text is well written and informative.
The book is divided by geographic region (mostly continent-based) and subdivided by time, for the most part, with introductory content about building techniques over the centuries. The text is interesting to read and well written, and I learned a lot. It was also interesting to go through the selected man-made structures (many of which I’ve seen in person over my lifetime of travel) and get some inside information I wasn’t aware of. This is a fascinating book, and one most people will enjoy reading (as well as looking at the pictures)! It’s a heavy book, and beautifully presented and laid out. An excellent addition to your library. Or coffee table!
juan p. –
El libro es un tesoro. Bien documentado las fotos hermosas y las explicaciones claras. Lo recomiendo ampliamente.
Hammad Iqbal –
After “Natural Wonder of the World” by DK, this book completes the set. Beautifully designed and printed in high quality, this is an amazing read and an excellent conversation starter. The amount of information given is spot on for most casual readers unless you are a serious reader of architecture digests etc. I bought this book to add to my growing library of DK books. I also wanted my kids to experience the joy of reading and develop an affection for books. And from what I have noticed, these books are getting the job done wonderfully.
deathdefyin –
A wonderful world tour of buildings from ancient times to the present day. It contains many excellent photos of the buildings. Each building has a brief description. The description of each is brief because so many buildings are included. I really enjoyed the book and am happy with my purchase
lplynn –
Book is essentially divided into 5 very broad geographic chapters (by continent). Beyond that, however, there appears to be no consistent order of presentation, not by city or architectural style – though there is a detailed Index that does allow the reader to locate particular structures. Additionally, while each picture is accompanied by narrative, the narrative does not always identify the city and country in which the site is located, but sometimes just identifies one or the other. Finally, it must be noted that the very nature of this work, including certain “Wonders”, while excluding others, is predicated on “its” own undefined criteria and preferences. The pictures are, however, ultimately beautiful and plentiful.
A.C.E. –
This book DELIVERED. It was everything (and more) that I was hoping for. The samples don’t do justice to how gorgeous the book is.
I was also surprised by how it manages to inspire with gorgeous images, but also there are multiple “intermission” pages that explain architectural or stylistic concepts. I was expecting it would be more like a travel-style book, but it’s more of an art/educational book. And it does that exceptionally well.
It’s also very well organized in terms of both chapters (organized by regions), as well as how each structure/wonder fits on the page.
This book is sooo inspiring and beautiful to me. Thank you to the publisher!
I. S. Pollak –
Quite fascinating book, anyone can pick it up and find themselves engrossed in many of the items listed . Brilliantly organized and opens your mind to the ingenuity of the mankind. Great coffee table book (doesn’t have foldable legs).
John Valente –
Once again DK has created an excellent resource that is fun to read with great photos and illustrations. I was surprised to learn how many places I did not know about, also. This is the kind of book to read on a cold winter night I really wish I had access to books such as this when I was a kid.
Mr. –
Livre très complet avec de nombreuses illustrations et photos aussi très bien rédigé.
Pamela –
Very nice
Cool Gram –
This book was bought as a gift, so I have not removed he plastic wrap that was around it, but it’s a beautiful book, the cover is in perfect condition, and it was very well packaged.
Mindy –
Love the book and all the photos