"Petroski writes . . . with the observant eye of an engineer and the imaginative heart of a novelist." -
Los Angeles Times "A fond but clear-eyed glance back at what it was like growing up middle-class and upwardly striving in 1950s New York." -
The New York Times Book Review
"[Petroski] once again discovers mystery and magnificence in the mundane. . . . By the end, we're convinced that no metaphor for life is more apt than a paper route." -
Kirkus Reviews
"[A]
pleasant trip though an America that has faded into history, with a tour guide who shares with us both the eyes of a young boy and the wisdom of a grown man." -
Civil Engineering "Petroski . . . can see the poetry in a bicycle." -
The New York Sun "Petroski not only can put science in laymen's terms, but also can do so without killing its magic." -
The Christian Science Monitor "Petroski . . . asks us to see the extraordinary in the ordinary." -
Chicago Tribune "Petroski . . . offers a charming account of adolescence in a much different era." -
Booklist "[Petroski is] the poet laureate of engineering." -
Rocky Mount Telegram "The book is a joy to read for anyone who enjoys a good story, not just working on a challenging project." -
CE News
