Birth of a Bridge (2010) by Maylis de Kerangal

Book Review

Birth of a Bridge (2010)

by Maylis de Kerangal

     I'm unsure how I heard about Birth of a Bridge, a novel by French author Maylis de Kerangal about the building of a bridge in a fictional Southern California city.   I know why I read it- How often does a writer from another country write a novel about building a piece of American infrastructure?  I'm glad to report that Birth of a Bridge is EXACTLY what you would expect- de Kerangal to different voices- the construction boss, the female cement engineer, the yokels who actually have to put the bridge together.  There is a French crane operator, a grasping Mayor.  It all hung together fairly well, though the generic Southern California city location seemed silly at times.  Where is Coca?  Everywhere. Nowhere. 

   The author doesn't use Birth of a Bridge to make grand statements about modern society, she just tells the story of putting together this bridge.  It's an interesting story even if it isn't going to change the world.