For those who find difficulty in communicating with engineers, Professor Gordonis a godsend His The New Scence of Sworg Mctenals made plain the secrets of materials science, and now with this volume he ‘explains the importance and properties of cifferent structures in away whieh wil appeal to everyone. Engiiee*s will of course understand way the Greeks took the wheels offtheir chariots at right, or why we get lumbag, why birds have feathers and how much scence is involved in dressmakng as well as the streng:h of bridges, boats and 2eoplanes. Professor Gordon explzins all these things, shown how vie need io be strong and to suppert various o2ds has infuenced the development of al sorts of creatures and devices — nduding man For this book is about modem views or the structural element in nature, technology and everyday Ire. Its up-to-date, "thraling and entertaining into the bargain ‘Asplendid book... written in evtertaining and thought-provoking style .. [i] shoukd be required reacing for all of us whether azed 16 or 60! — AG. Atking tet gomsnaztparar ‘APELICAN BOOK ‘Scieme/ Tichasiay ©9000 Bias a | iene oManeaersers aw! siz.t3 © STRUCTURES COATES TEST Oo gi eae oTPelican Books ‘Structures. James Edward Gordon was bora in 1913. He 100k ‘degree in naval architecture at Glasgow University and worked in wood and sted shipyatds, intending to design sailing sips. On the outbreak of the Second World War he moved tothe Royal Aircraft Establishment at . Farnborough, where be worked on wooden aircraft, plastics and unorthodox materials of all kinds, He designed the sailing rescue dinghies carried atone tire by most bomber aircraft. He later became head ofthe plastics structures section at Farnborough and developed a method ‘of construction in asbestos-reinforced plastics hich is now used for a number of purposes in aircraft and rockets, For several frostrating years he worked in industry on the strength of glass and the growth of strong "whisker erystals In 1962 he returned to government service as superintendent ‘of an experimental branch at Waltham Abbey ‘concerned with research and development of entirely new structural materials mest of which are based on whisker’. He was Indusrial Fellow ‘Commoner at Churchill College, Cambridge, and ‘became Professor of Materials Technology atthe University of Reading, where he is now Professor Emeritus. He has been awarded the British Silver ‘Medal of the Royal Aeronautical Society for ‘work on aircraft plastics and also the Gritith ‘Medial of the Materials Science Club for ‘contributions to materials science. His book The [Neve Science of Song Materials has also been published in Penguins. Professor J. . Gordon is married and has two ‘grown-up sons. His spare-time interests are sailing. Greek. photography and! sk-ing.J.E.Gordon Structures or Why Things Don’t Fall Down Penguin Books