Mark Andrews on Collecting Books about the Science and Engineering of Water

Why did I interview Mark Andrews? Because he's a fellow Canadian, he's an exceptional book collector who brings an engineer's mind to the task, and he's just published a beautiful book featuring selections from his book collection, entitled The Science and Engineering of Water; An illustrated catalogue of books and manuscripts on Italian hydraulics, 1500 - 1800; it's exemplary. Exactly the kind of thing every book collector should think about doing - in some iteration - with his/her/their own collection. ​Mark's catalogue ​explores the development of science and engineering through the early modern period​ by presenting 367 printed books, manuscripts and maps​ in chronological order​. They highlight the relationship between the evolution of ideas and the authors who documented th​e​se ideas. Drawing from Mark​'s larger collection of civil engineering​ titles, ​​it's filled with​ illustrations and diagrams​ (nearly 1000), ​from books that were used as​ working ​tools by Italian scientists, engineers, and builders​ from the early 1500s to the ​end of the 1700s. ​Trust me. While books on Italian hydraulics may not sound exactly riveting, they are. At least, they are when Mark talks about them.