The Secrets Behind the Structures

Little-Known Stories Behind Some Well-Known Landmarks

Non-Fiction - Historical
330 Pages
Reviewed on 08/22/2018
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    Book Review

Reviewed by Kimberlee J Benart for Readers' Favorite

The Secrets Behind the Structures: Little-Known Stories Behind Some Well-Known Landmarks is a wonderful slant on history by engineer and author John Reisinger. Written for a wide audience and not just history aficionados, it’s a book that can be enjoyed by anyone. In fact, it would be a great gift for the person who has everything. There’s certainly something for everyone in it. I was amazed at the number, variety, and geographic dispersal of the structures Reisinger includes; and as a civil engineer myself, I was glad to see that he didn’t limit his choice only to buildings. Bridges, towers, canals, tombs, the remnants of a former lighthouse, and other structures are featured. Some are modern; some are ancient or medieval. This is a book that would be useful to a tourist, a student, a history buff, a trivia fan, or anyone who simply enjoys learning more about the world around them.

In The Secrets Behind the Structures, Reisinger provides a story and illustrations about more than fifty structures scattered across the globe. The stories are written in an engaging, entertaining, educational but non-technical style, and offer interesting facts about the builder, the owner, the construction, the design, or the later use of the structure. In addition, each story is well referenced for further reading or research. I don’t know if I could name a favorite because I enjoyed them all for different reasons. I think The Bridge (that isn’t) on the River Kwai was the greatest surprise since I’ve seen the film named after it so many times. Reisinger includes a link at the end of the book, so readers can contact him about other structures with unusual or interesting stories. I hope that means that at least one sequel is in the works.