One of the first things you notice when you crack open and reach page 11 of Brian Bowen's new history of the American construction industry is a bright color photo of an Egyptian pyramid, constructed in 2528 B.C. That makes you wonder how such a far-away pre-colonial pile of stones, built well before any explorers or colonists reached America, could kick off a history book about U.S. construction—and a very short one at that. It isn't until some 70 pages and six fascinating chapters later that the history lands on the shores of Roanoke, N.C., and Jamestown, Va., in 1585 and 1607, respectively, and the discussion of colonial construction begins.
Thereafter — except for a chapter that returns to Europe and the English industrial revolution — the history, called The American Construction Industry: Its Historical Evolution and Potential Future (Routledge, 205 pages), remains within the continental U.S.