Eurotunnel ¦ Salvage at Sea

Those faced with teaching technology for the first time will be relieved to discover the 'Engineers at Work' series. The latest volumes are well produced, have clear informative diagrams, relevant (and dramatic) photographs and are adequately indexed. The series is not over-ambitious and does not attempt to consider the politics/ethics of an issue (there is no mention of the arguments for/against the tunnel or the legitimacy of exploring a wreck, for example).

Instead the success of these books depends on capturing the reader's interest, explaining the problem and describing the technology that provides the solution. In Eurotunnel, for example, the description of geological difficulties faced and the solutions (such as the use of tunnel-boring machines and grouting cracks in the chalk marl) are admirably clear. Further clarification is provided through the final page of do-it-yourself experiments which demonstrate some of the principles on a somewhat smaller scale!