COURLAND: And that's very interesting because concrete, by itself, has tremendous compressive strength. So assuming that a, you know, road is well-bedded, ...

Whether looking at the past or the future, Courland makes a compelling case for concrete’s importance to humankind. Prometheus Books, 2011, 396 p., $26. Questions or comments on this article?

In Courland, otherwise known as Latvia, Jews faced a similar fate, although the expulsion was enforced a day or two later; most often on the holiday itself.

Robert Courland is the author of “Concrete Planet: The Strange and Fascinating Story…” (Prometheus, 2011). He’s based in San Francisco, California. This website uses cookies to improve your experience ...

Mercedes Courland Interiors has been selected as the interior design firm for a new project at Kalea Bay, a high-tech luxury high-rise now under construction. The first 23-story tower will be ...

About 400,000 servicemen of Army Group North found themselves cut off in western Latvia (Courland) when, on October 10, 1944, units of the Soviet 51st Army reached the Baltic coast near the town ...