Biography

Alex Woolf is a published author of over eighty books, both fiction and non-fiction, mainly for children and young adults. His non-fiction encompasses a whole variety of subjects, from science and the natural world to politics and social issues, but his favourite subject is history. By far his biggest work to date is his 'History of the World', which has sold over 85,000 copies in the English-speaking world and been translated into seven different languages since it first appeared in 2008.

His fiction writing credits include a science fiction trilogy, 'Chronosphere' (2011/12), and a gothic Victorian detective novel 'Aldo Moon and the Case of the Ghost at Gravewood Hall' (2013), described by best-selling crime writer Peter James as 'a real delight, witty, ghostly and at times deliciously ghastly.' His horror novel, 'Soul Shadows', published in 2013 by Curious Fox, was shortlisted for the RED Book Award of 2014. Alex is a regular author for Fiction Express, online publishers of interactive stories for schools. He writes a chapter a week, and children vote on how the story should continue. 2014 saw the release of 'Iron Sky: Dread Eagle', his first foray into the world of steampunk. He followed this up with a sequel: 'Iron Sky: Call of the Phoenix' in 2015.

We spend a lot of our lives in buildings, but how many of us really think about how theyre built and what they do for us? As society developed, architects needed to create different kinds of structure from palaces and temples to modern factories and airports. This book explores the science of architecture since ancient times, and examines the life cycle of a building, from design to demolition. It looks at the challenges faced by todays architects, including how to build in areas prone to natural disaster, and how to build sustainably, so that our structures dont end up damaging the planet. After all, the first kilometer-high building is already under construction! Features include funny and interesting illustrations; real-world science examples; side panels to tackle complex subject matter in a fun and relevant way; detailed glossary and more.