Written By: Anna Lucas
Engineering is an amazing field and can give anyone the ability to bring their dreams into a reality and allows those with visions to bring them to life. Anyone with a STEM centered mindset, especially those in engineering, are intrigued by the failures and successes of engineering. However, learning even the basics of engineering before college can be hard, as it's incredibly difficult to find people capable of teaching you what you need to know, without getting ahead of themselves. That's why books are so amazing. They are written by experts in the field you are reading about, and you can go at your own pace while reading all the information said books have to offer. So, I’ve compiled a list of the five best books to read to improve your knowledge of engineering, while still being interesting and entertaining.
1. Applied Minds: How Engineers Think
Applied Minds: How Engineers Think by Guruprasad Madhaven is an amazing book to expand your knowledge of engineering. The book focuses on the unique visions and mental tools engineers use to reveal the enormous influence they wield in transforming problems into opportunities. This book is unique because it gives instructions not only on how to become an engineer and how to succeed once you become one, but how to alter your thinking into a more engineering-centered mindset.
2. The Art of Doing Science and Engineering: Learning to Learn
The Art of Doing Science and Engineering: Learning to Learn by Richard Hamming gives an insider look into the rigorous curriculum of college engineering classes. This book is unlike other books that focus on changing your thinking to a line more with engineering because it is written from the point of view of a very wise naval academy professor, and shares stories, lessons, and tutorials that only someone with years of experience in the industry would know.
3. My Inventions: The Autobiography of Nikola Tesla
My Inventions: The Autobiography of Nikola Tesla by Nikola Tesla is an amazing look into the genius mind and how Tesla created his inventions. Nikola Tesla was a very skilled engineer, if not the best of all time. So even if he doesn't quite match up to that title, you can rest assured he was still a brilliant man with incredible accomplishments. This autobiography gives an insiders’ look into the life of Tesla and what drove him to his success, hopefully inspiring other engineers to follow in his footsteps.
4. Becoming an Engineer: The Average Person’s Guide to Getting Good Grades and Succeeding in Engineering and STEM School
Becoming an Engineer: The Average Person’s Guide to Getting Good Grades and Succeeding in Engineering and STEM School by Jake Ryland is a great guide into succeeding, not in an engineering career (although the habits taught in this book will definitely aid that) but in engineering school. Engineering school, both college and graduate school, is unrelenting and very difficult. Without proper work ethic or discipline, you can kiss your chances of success in school goodbye. But, in order to avoid that fate and gain the discipline you need now, then this book is exactly what you need. The tactics and advice Ryland gives are very specific and aim to set you up for success in school.
5. How to Build a Car
How to Build a Car by Adrian Newey gives a stunning look into the real-life aspects of being an engineer, and what it takes to succeed. One of Britain's greatest engineers, Newey describes his 35 year career as a Formula One engineer. It describes the cars that Newey designed and the drivers he worked with, creating a very clean reflection of cause and effect in engineering. This book is not only educational, but also entertaining and fun as Newey describes his exciting career and what he learned along the way.