High Steel: The Daring Men Who Built the World's Greatest Skyline, 1881 to the Present
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Author Description
A powerful first-hand account of the many generations and ethnic groups of men who have built America's skyscrapers.From the early days of steel construction in Chicago, through the great boom years of New York city ironwork, and up through the present, High Steel follows the trajectory of careers inextricably linked to both great accomplishment and catastrophic disaster.The personal stories reveal the lives of ironworkers and the dangers they face as they walk across the windswept, swaying summits of tomorrow's skyscrapers, balanced on steel girders sometimes only six inches wide. Rasenberger explores both the greatest accomplishments of ironwork—the vaulting bridges and towers that define America's skyline—and the deadliest disasters, such as the Quebec Bridge Collapse of 1907, when 75 ironworkers, including 33 Mohawk Indians, fell to their deaths. High Steel is an accessible, thrilling, and vertiginous portrait of the lives of some of our most brave yet unrecognized men.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This work investigates the historical evolution of skyscraper construction in America by focusing on the lives and labor of the ironworkers who built the nation's most iconic skylines. Author Jim Rasenberger utilizes a blend of archival research and personal accounts to document the professional trajectory of these workers from the late 19th century to the modern era. The text argues that the physical development of urban centers is inextricably linked to the high-risk labor and cultural contributions of diverse ethnic groups, particularly the Mohawk ironworkers.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Historical analysis of steel construction techniques from 1881 to the present.
- Detailed accounts of major infrastructure projects in Chicago and New York City.
- Documentation of significant industrial accidents, including the 1907 Quebec Bridge collapse.
- Examination of the cultural identity and labor traditions of ironworking communities.
Scope Limits
- The text does not provide a comprehensive technical manual on structural engineering or architectural design.
- It does not cover the entirety of global skyscraper construction, focusing primarily on the North American experience.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts and readers frequently cite this work as a definitive social history of the ironworking profession. The narrative is noted for its balance between technical historical context and the human-centric stories of the laborers involved.
Page Count:
400
Publication Date:
2005-03-01
Publisher:
Harper Paperbacks
ISBN-10:
0060004355
ISBN-13:
9780060004354
History
Non-Fiction
Biography
Architecture
Engineering
World
Social History
Labor history
Architecture