It was written by George E. Martin, and published by Springer-Verlag in 1998 as volume 81 of their Undergraduate Texts in Mathematics book series.
A highly restricted form of construction, the "match-stick geometry" of Thomas Rayner Dawson from the 1930s, uses only unit line segments, which can be placed along each other, intersected, or pivoted around one of their endpoints; despite its limited nature, this turns out to be as powerful as straightedge and compass.
[1][2] As well as the mathematics it describes, Geometric Constructions includes many pieces of historical background,[2] quotations and pointers to source material for additional reading,[3] and solutions and hints to its many exercises.
[2] However, as well as this use, it can also be read by anyone who is interested in the history of geometry and has an undergraduate-level background in abstract algebra, or used as a reference work on the topic of geometric constructions.
[4] Reviewer Horst Martini writes that it "conveys joy in the subject",[1] while Maurice Burke describes the book as one that "invites the reader to play the game, take frequent side trips—many unexpected, and enjoy the ride".