In his time Isambard Kingdom Brunel was the world's greatest engineer. His list of achievements is truly breathtaking: the Thames Tunnel, the first underwater tunnel in the world; the SS Great Britain, the first propeller-driven ship; the Clifton Suspension Bridge, then the longest span of any bridge in the world; and the Great Western Railway. History has been kind to his memory: many of his creations still exist and he is lauded by historians as a truly 'Great Briton'.

In this full-scale biography Colin Maggs presents a portrait of a complex, ambitious and determined genius. But the Brunel that emerges is not without flaws. He made mistakes, both personal and technical – he wasn't always right but never admitted he was wrong. Drawing on Brunel's diaries, letters and business papers, we see the real Isambard, a more human figure, emerging from behind the towering structures and machines he created.

• The first new, full-length

  biography for almost sixty years

• Author a recognised

  authority and his last book, 'A History of the GWR', well received:

  'Comprehensive and full of charming anecdotes’ CHRISTIAN WOLMAR

• Reviews in the national newspapers,

  history, engineering and railway press to include the Daily Mail, the

  Sunday Times, BBC History

  Magazine, Steam Railway, the Railway Magazine, the

  Engineer and Association for Industrial Archaeology

• Subject of the book is relevant to many

  museums and visitor attractions including: SS Great Britain & Brunel

  Archive (Bristol), The Brunel Museum Thames Tunnel (London), Paddington and

  Bristol Temple Meads railway stations, The National Railway Museum (York), Steam:

  The Museum of the GWR (Swindon), The Science Museum (London), Museum of Science

  and Industry (Manchester) and Bristol M Shed (Bristol)