Review of "Mighty Mac: The Official Picture History of the Mackinac Bridge," by Lawrence A. Rubin

Review of

Mighty Mac: The Official Picture History of the Mackinac Bridge, by Lawrence A. Rubin ISBN 0814318177

Five out of five stars

 As someone that has crossed that bridge, I can attest to the awesome nature of the Mackinac Bridge that connects the two peninsulas that make up the state of Michigan. At the time of writing, it was the longest total suspension bridge in the world and driving across it really gets and keeps your attention.

 Every step in the building process was photographed and this book is a record of that impressive engineering feat. There were some professionals that did not believe that such a bridge could be constructed, given the porous nature of the rock and the frequent harsh weather conditions. Yet, the decision was made, and the bridge has proven to be an economic lifeline to the state of Michigan as well as a key transit point in the movement of goods between the U. S. and Canada.

Reading about the construction of the bridge is also a reminder about the critical need for major construction projects and how they can be of such long-term economic benefits. The preliminary work on the bridge was done during the Great Depression and the construction was delayed by World War II. Showing that even when times were hard, there were people that thought ahead and were willing to invest. The United States needs more of that kind of thinking than it currently possesses.