Chief Engineer: Washington Roebling, The Man Who Built the Brooklyn Bridge

great book

The book is an entertaining account of the life of an important individual. It has very little detail of his engineering work. Why was he able to build bridges? What did he contribute? What is it about the technology of suspension bridges that makes them the choice for long spans? But the book does talk about Mr. Roebling as a person, and he is kind of interesting. It drags a bit at the end.

Dr. A.E. Santaniello’s comments on “Chief Engineer: Washington Roebling, the Man who Built the Brooklyn Bridge.” I have spent my entire life with books and book writers and can agree totally with his evaluation of Wagner’s book. Don’t be put off by the title; while the book does give you an insight into the engineering wonder that is the Brooklyn Bridge as executed, day by day, under Washington Roebling’s exacting eye and enormous capacity for detail, “Chief Engineer” is also the poignant, heart-rendering and always captivating story of “one man’s tenacity in the fact of hardship beyond most people’s imagining.” Fortunately, Erica Wagner has beautifully done the imaging for use: Washington Roebling and his life stand forth as much itself an enduring monument to the human spirit’s capacity to journey through adversity to the stars as the great work that still stands as Wagner writes, “ an extraordinary symbol of nineteenth-century ideals of progress.” This is biography, science and cultural history in one cover. The book answers beautifully Hart Crane’s question in his great poem “The Bridge,” “How could mere toil align thy choiring strings!”

This was an extremely interesting book. The structure was very clear as the narrative was divided around Roebling's early life, his service in the Civil War, and then the stages of his career. I found it fascinating how his father designed the wire and then, as an entrepreneur, father and son leveraged the business from bridges to elevators and beyond. Their contribution to business, ingenuity, and US innovation are really brought to life by Wagner. I also enjoyed reading about Emily Roebling and her accomplishments as well. The level of detail is nicely balanced with a well crafted biographical and cultural narrative.

A well-written and engaging biography of a man who, on his own and through his family's wire company, was a significant part of the making of post-Civil War America. This book pivots around the building of the heroic Brooklyn Bridge, but there is much more to the life story of Washington Roebling. Erica Wagner is an excellent tour guide to this vibrant and complex man, one who is now largely forgotten by history. In this day when superficial celebrity, sports, and political biographies seem to be produced by the boatload, it is pleasant to read one about a true builder of this country. I think not only civil engineers, but the common reader will enjoy Ms. Wagner's book.

I enjoyed the book for several reasons: history buff, I was a NJ resident for 60 yrs and lived not far from the town of Robling. Also when traveling I observed a needle point kneeling cushion (one for each state) in a chapel at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC and an exhibit at the Golden Gate Bridge regarding the cable construction which was from the Robling company. I did feel that several times the author took some tangents away from the main story of Washington Robling the Chief Engineer.

I read the original book and it was better but this book had some interesting insight into the family

Erica Wagner carried me on a journey over a hundred years ago and introduced me to Washington Roebling and his family. She was able to introduce me to not only Washington but also the John Roebling & Son wire cable Co. And the impact both men and business had on building this country. For those interested in the industrial revolution as I am, this book is a must read.

Very interesting and illuminating biography Roebling, who built the iconic bridge. Ms Wagner's writing, of employing the narrative style from the protagonist's point of view ( letters and communications from archives) is an interesting way of putting the life history ; we feel more empathetic with the hero of the book. Kudos to Ms Wagner