In late 2016 I began writing some gap-fillers to support our capstone design course/program.  By the summer of 2017, those writings became the makings of a book that could support capstone design the way I was teaching it, having a little different flavor than the conventional capstone design course.  Beyond that, it became something that might be useful earlier in a curriculum leading up to capstone design, and hopefully beyond that for engineers in their first decade of practice who are seeking continual growth and improvement.  In the fall of 2018, I decided to split it into two books, each of more reasonable length and the first applicable to a broader audience than the second.  The fist could be used as early as second year in a curriculum, or anytime later; the second tagged on later and/or beyond.

They are a bit atypical, or so I hope and think.  Not textbooks, rather more like the many leadership, business, and professional development books I have read.  They are more about mindset than toolset and skillset, the latter two having been sufficiently covered (read “beaten into them”) earlier in most engineering curricula — I jest; toolset and skillset are foundational and important, but their impact is amplified by way of a reality-facing mindset, IMHO.  The realities of focus here are those that come with the physical world our designs operate in and the people living in that world.

The preface (provided here) is basically the same in each book since both books evolved from the same book project and vision.  It describes the project and my purpose for embarking on it.  If you take a look you will see I have chosen to write in a more informal, colloquial style rather than in a formal style of impeccable grammar and word choice.  That style is carried through the entirety of both books. I wanted it to be more like sitting down and talking things through with my audience, like I would speak with a student in my office or with my own young-adult children on those rare occasions they want to hear what Dad thinks.🙂  I suppose some publishers might object to that style, wanting it to be more formal.  I figured I would just have to find a publisher who values that and understands my drive to work less for them and more for my audience — young and future engineers who will serve and benefit the world, and come from a generation that largely values cut-the-crap authenticity.  Though, I am sure any publisher would make a positive mark on the final outcome with their years of experience that I don’t have. So I did speak with late in 2019; she really liked the approach, but it wasn’t a fit for them and she asked if I had considered self publishing it. I had, and now having taken the time to research that world, I am thinking that’s the way to go thanks to how well-supported self-publishing has become for producing both the e-book format and print-on-demand paperback.

The contents of the books can be reviewed via the following links:

A Game Against Reality Contents
•     •     •
Math to Mettle Contents

My timeline has been delayed, and it will get done when it gets done, as correctly as I can get it without it ever being perfect.  As of August 2019, I had finally completed both books — complete meaning all content I have to offer is present.  A good editing and touch-ups are still needed.  Now fall 2020, having decided to add a little bit more to both, I’m complete again and getting closer… slowly. That darn job (or two) just keeps getting in the way.🙂

Regards,
Bill Endres
August, 2020