It Would Be So Nice If You Weren't Here by Charles Grodin

It Would Be So Nice If You Weren't Here by Charles Grodin

This illustrated reference takes readers on a revealing tour of a vital, underappreciated piece of our nation's infrastructure.

Imagine Washington, D.C., without its clean and effi cient Metro. Or New York City without the Lincoln and Holland tunnels. Or Boston without the Big Dig. This nation without its tunnels would be a quagmire of clogged streets, urban gridlock, massive sewage and water pipes along our sidewalks, and train routes that would take hours longer just to veer around a mountain instead of going straight through it. Unlivable.

Tunnels have been built for 200 years to solve some of society's most pressing and dangerous problems. And yet the public rarely understands the complexity of boring through the earth under urban skyscrapers or the danger of burrowing under rivers, lakes, and oceans. This smartly told, beautifully illustrated book, by the construction experts who know the underground world better than anyone, gives tunnels their long-deserved due.

This is a story that can only be told by these industry experts who have studied that two-century journey, learned from it, and created the tools and technology needed to improve it.

That is what the Underground Construction Association delivers with its beautifully told, richly illustrated book, The History of Tunneling in the United States, which includes a collection of museum-worthy historical photos.

The tunneling industry is now big business, and it has a story and a history worth telling.

Charles Grodin is an American actor, comedian, author, radio commentator, and former TV talk show host. Grodin began his acting career in the 1960s appearing in TV serials including The Virginian. He had a small part as an obstetrician in Roman Polanski's Rosemary's Baby in 1968. In the 1970s he moved into film acting, including playing the lead in The Heartbreak Kid and a supporting role in Catch-22. He became a familiar face as a supporting actor in many 1980s Hollywood comedies, including Midnight Run, Taking Care of Business, Seems Like Old Times, The Great Muppet Caper, The Woman in Red, The Lonely Guy, Ishtar and The Couch Trip. He is probably best known for his role as George Newton in the 1990s John Hughes comedy franchise Beethoven. Grodin has won several acting awards, including American Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for 1993's Dave, Best Actor at the 1988 Valladolid International Film Festival (for Midnight Run). He was nominated for Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for The Heartbreak Kid in 1972. He also shared a 1978 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program for his work on The Paul Simon Special. In the mid-1990s, Grodin became a talk show host on CNBC and in 2000 a political commentator for 60 Minutes II. He has written several autobiographical and acting related works, including 1990's It Would Be So Nice If You Weren't Here: My Journey Through Show Business and 1994's We're Ready for You, Mr. Grodin.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780679731344
ISBN 10	0679731342
Title	It Would Be So Nice If You Weren't Here
Author	Charles Grodin
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Vintage Books USA
Year published	1990-09-05
Number of pages	317
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable