Book review

Building Bridges – Connecting People is a biography of one of the UK’s most distinguished engineers. Born in Manchester, Sir Alan Cockshaw FREng became the chief executive of Fairclough Civil Engineering in 1978 and a Director of AMEC in 1982; he then became the Group Chief Executive (1984–1988) and then Chairman (1988–1997). He was knighted in 1992. He became a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 1986 and was President of the Institution of Civil Engineers from 1997 to 1998.In this memoir, Sir Alan writes about his life journey from humble beginnings in the north west of England to becoming a President of the ICE and being given a knighthood.Throughout the personal journey there are projects, people and companies who civil engineers will recognise. The lessons learned outlined through the book include very clear messages of the importance of team working and knowing their strengths. Pride of a job well done shines from every page, which is founded in hard work and determination.Each reader will for themselves be able to find relevance today in Sir Alan’s story but also of interest are the changes in the world during Sir Alan’s career. The book is very easy to read and could easily be picked up and put down, with each chapter clearly outlining a period of Sir Alan’s life. The text is supplemented by some great photographs of projects and people, including the all-important family and football teams linking nicely with the narrative.This book will be of interest to those who wish to better understand how the wider world of civil engineering interlinks and impacts upon wider society and can offer a worthwhile career option for all.It stands out as a real-life story of how a civil engineer has connected people through their work. This resonated with me as it really shows how one person with passion and purpose can make a difference.