The Engineer’s Wife
By Tracey Enerson Wood
330 pages
What’s it about?
The New York legislature approves John Roebling’s design of the Brooklyn bridge in 1867- not long after the conclusion of the Civil War. Roebling has plans to build the bridge with the help of his son Wash. Just as construction is set to begin in 1869 John Roebling is injured and dies a few days later due to tetanus. His son Wash now takes over the mammoth project. He leans on his young wife Emily to help as she can. As Wash is incapacitated more and more by Caisson disease (from working at such a great depth) he leans even more on Emily. Eventually it is Emily who is leading the project- in a time that woman are not seen as capable in any area outside of the home.What did it make me think about?
How the stars must have aligned for Emily Warren Roebling to have been given this opportunity. Tracey Enerson Wood does an impressive job of demonstrating how difficult it would have been for any woman to make a significant contribution at this time in history. It is so wonderful that Emily Warren Roebling is getting more attention for the role she played in the building of the Brooklyn Bridge.Should I read it?
This was an interesting story about a very impressive woman. Tracey Enerson Wood takes lots of liberties with Emily’s personal life and with her motivations- so I am not sure I know Emily Warren Roebling any better than I did before I read the book. I do now know of her accomplishments though- and that is worth reading about!Quote-
” I should have liked to say that my dedication was accepted and appreciated by the scores of men with whom I worked, but that was not he case. I simply determined that their reluctance to do so was their problem, not mine.”What’s it about?
The New York legislature approves John Roebling’s design of the Brooklyn bridge in 1867- not long after the conclusion of the Civil War. Roebling has plans to build the bridge with the help of his son Wash. Just as construction is set to begin in 1869 John Roebling is injured and dies a few days later due to tetanus. His son Wash now takes over the mammoth project. He leans on his young wife Emily to help as she can. As Wash is incapacitated more and more by Caisson disease (from working at such a great depth) he leans even more on Emily. Eventually it is Emily who is leading the project- in a time that woman are not seen as capable in any area outside of the home.
What did it make me think about?
How the stars must have aligned for Emily Warren Roebling to have been given this opportunity. Tracey Enerson Wood does an impressive job of demonstrating how difficult it would have been for any woman to make a significant contribution at this time in history. It is so wonderful that Emily Warren Roebling is getting more attention for the role she played in the building of the Brooklyn Bridge.
Should I read it?
This was an interesting story about a very impressive woman. Tracey Enerson Wood takes lots of liberties with Emily’s personal life and with her motivations- so I am not sure I know Emily Warren Roebling any better than I did before I read the book. I do now know of her accomplishments though- and that is worth reading about!
Quote-
” I should have liked to say that my dedication was accepted and appreciated by the scores of men with whom I worked, but that was not he case. I simply determined that their reluctance to do so was their problem, not mine.”
