Coasters 101: An Engineer's Guide to Roller Coaster Design Paperback – January 7, 2012

I've just received this book, and so far it's great! I've finished the first chapter, and all the info in the back, and I'm really looking forward to digesting the rest. I'm glad I bought the latest edition.There is one thing I noticed that is WRONG - The last word of the IAAPA organization is "ATTRACTIONS" and not "AQUARIUMS" as stated on page 186.

this book is great it teaches all you need to now about roller coasters. i will definitely by some of his other books

Personally I don't particularly enjoy roller coasters, but my 11-year-old son decided to take a class that introduces him to physics by studying how to design roller coasters. So I bought this book to help him get ready for the class. Then I started reading it and discovered ... designing coasters has a lot of complexities I had not previously appreciated. So I quickly got drawn into the book and finished it. It's not a long read, but it does the trick to explain why coaster engineering could be a great job. The book will make me enjoy attending theme parks more in the future (that is, when I succumb to family pressure and attend them despite my preference to spend my vacation in other ways). The book could be improved by adding more depth to the sections that briefly list non-traditional-engineering aspects of designing, building, and operating coasters, such as the management and economics of the theme park, psychology of what makes different kinds of movements more or less exciting, set and lighting design, or advances in technology that could make future coasters a hybrid of physical engineering and interactive computer-controlled multi-media. The book is at the edge of what a quantitatively-oriented middle-school kid would appreciate; you can get a lot out of the book without being able to fully follow the math equations that show up occasionally in the text.

Got this for our nephew (10 y.o) who lives out of state as he’s shown an interest in roller coasters. He LOVES it!

The more you know, the better, and this book definitely gives you more for your money. It's an exciting read to learn how much goes into the career of a roller coaster engineer, while offering information about popular rides and attractions recognized by ride enthusiasts all over the world. I also love that it has career advice for anyone serious about pursuing a career in roller coaster engineering and design.

This book is truly amazing. I loved it so much that I read it 7 times from cover to cover and still reading it! I have learned a lot from it and made me love roller coasters more! It explains everything about them from their history to how they create them. It’s crazy how much information was filled in such a small book! I would definitely recommend buying if you are looking for a good book! I want to see a part two a more updated version because of how much roller coaster technology has evolved and there is so much new information to learn about! 10/10 recommend

I would have enjoyed te see more detailed examples when it comes to explaining the physics behind the coaster, and every now and then it had a sort of less-than-professional feel to it.However, it is by far the best book ive found on the topic, considering that most others just me and describe existing coasters so 5 stars for you.

This is a guide for roller coaster design that is more complex than qualitative descriptions, but not so complex that a college degree is required for understanding. Most of the text is accurate, but there are some areas (energy in particular) where the explanations can use editing. A big plus is that I was able to easily contact the author and discuss issues and ideas for expanded explanations. He has been receptive to ideas to improve the text and gracious about suggestions for clarification. I look forward to a revised edition.