James Edward Gordon was a materials scientist and biomechanical engineer who is considered to be one of the founders of materials science and biomechanics. He was a professor of materials science at the University of Reading, and authored three books on structures and materials, which have been translated into many languages and are still widely used in schools and universities.
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The New Science of Strong Materials, or, Why You Don't Fall Through the Floor
2011
ISBN 9780141927701
Structures, or, Why things don't fall down
1981
ISBN 9780306801518
Structures
2003
ISBN 9780306812835