»Building Big and Rome Antics

I read through two recent books by David Macaulay, the eminent and whimsical author of books about -- well, mostly about engineering topics, but he sneaks in the odd bit of drama (or humour!), sometimes in his text, sometimes in his comfortably loose line drawings.

Rome Antics and Building Big both demonstrate Macaulay's wry humour and keen grasp of the details in the big -- very big! -- picture. He tackles the massive pieces of manufactured infrastructure that we have added to the natural world: bridges, dams, tunnels, and skyscrapers, paying special attention to the planning and construction details. This becomes even more interesting when he explores ancient bridges and tunnels, as he unravels the story of their construction. His narrative, both in words and in pictures, engages the eye and the mind. Although I chuckled at the description of the several tunnels which make up The Chunnel (Northbound: Croissants. Soutbound: Crumpets.), he included pertinent yet out-of-the-way details that add depth and colour to the story of construction.

Rome Antics follows a pigeon as it carries a timeless message through modern Rome. The pigeon perspective is charming, and the spare use of colour adds a remarkable piece of drama to the story.