About the Book

This monumental book brings back for American readers the heroic vision of the America we once had. It is the enthralling story of one of the greatest events in our nation's history during the Age of Optimism -- a period when Americans were convinced in their hearts that all great things were possible. In the years around 1870, when the project was first undertaken, the concept of building a great bridge to span the East River between the great cities of Manhattan and Brooklyn required a vision and determination comparable to that which went into the building of the pyramids. Throughout the fourteen years of its construction, the odds against the successful completion of the bridge seemed staggering. Bodies were crushed and broken, lives lost, political empires fell, and surges of public emotion constantly threatened the project. But this is not merely the saga of an engineering miracle: it is a sweeping narrative of the social climate of the time and of the heroes and rascals who had a hand in either constructing or obstructing the great enterprise. Amid the flood of praise for the book when it was originally published, "Newsday" said succinctly "This is the definitive book on the event. Do not wait for a better try: there won't be any."

Product Details

Media: Hardcover Book, 608 pages

Language: English

Publisher: Simon & Schuster (Jun. 30th, 2001)

ISBN-10: 0743217373

ISBN-13: 9780743217378

Dimensions: 6.72 x 9.56 x 1.82 inches

Shipping Weight: 2.33 lbs

• Categories: Civil Engineering Middle Atlantic State History