One of the most eminent engineers of the 20th century, both on the national and international stage, Professor Sir Alec Skempton was truly an influential figure in the discipline of soil mechanics. In the late 1940s he was instrumental in developing the subject, and formed the first university department of soil mechanics at Imperial College, London. Written by his daughter, the book illustrates Skem's contribution to engineering knowledge, what influences formed him, and how his ideas developed. It reveals the private man behind the public image, the perception of him by colleagues, friends and students and in so doing it also sets in context a dynamic age in engineering.