Railroaded: The Transcontinentals and the Making of Modern America

Business & Finance, Industries & Professions, Industries, Nonfiction, History, Americas, United States, 19th Century
Cover of the book Railroaded: The Transcontinentals and the Making of Modern America by Richard White, W. W. Norton & Company
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Richard White ISBN: 9780393082609
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company Publication: May 31, 2011
Imprint: W. W. Norton & Company Language: English
Author: Richard White
ISBN: 9780393082609
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Publication: May 31, 2011
Imprint: W. W. Norton & Company
Language: English

A new, incisive history of the transcontinental railroads and how they transformed America in the decades after the Civil War.

The transcontinental railroads of the late nineteenth century were the first corporate behemoths. Their attempts to generate profits from proliferating debt sparked devastating panics in the U.S. economy. Their dependence on public largess drew them into the corridors of power, initiating new forms of corruption. Their operations rearranged space and time, and remade the landscape of the West. As wheel and rail, car and coal, they opened new worlds of work and ways of life. Their discriminatory rates sparked broad opposition and a new antimonopoly politics.

With characteristic originality, range, and authority, Richard White shows the transcontinentals to be pivotal actors in the making of modern America. But the triumphal myths of the golden spike, robber barons larger than life, and an innovative capitalism all die here. Instead we have a new vision of the Gilded Age, often darkly funny, that shows history to be rooted in failure as well as success.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

A new, incisive history of the transcontinental railroads and how they transformed America in the decades after the Civil War.

The transcontinental railroads of the late nineteenth century were the first corporate behemoths. Their attempts to generate profits from proliferating debt sparked devastating panics in the U.S. economy. Their dependence on public largess drew them into the corridors of power, initiating new forms of corruption. Their operations rearranged space and time, and remade the landscape of the West. As wheel and rail, car and coal, they opened new worlds of work and ways of life. Their discriminatory rates sparked broad opposition and a new antimonopoly politics.

With characteristic originality, range, and authority, Richard White shows the transcontinentals to be pivotal actors in the making of modern America. But the triumphal myths of the golden spike, robber barons larger than life, and an innovative capitalism all die here. Instead we have a new vision of the Gilded Age, often darkly funny, that shows history to be rooted in failure as well as success.

More books from W. W. Norton & Company

Cover of the book Freefall: America, Free Markets, and the Sinking of the World Economy by Richard White
Cover of the book The Man Who Knew Too Much: Alan Turing and the Invention of the Computer (Great Discoveries) by Richard White
Cover of the book William Wells Brown: An African American Life by Richard White
Cover of the book Aroused: The History of Hormones and How They Control Just About Everything by Richard White
Cover of the book A Life Apart: A Novel by Richard White
Cover of the book Khrushchev's Cold War: The Inside Story of an American Adversary by Richard White
Cover of the book The Quantum Spy: A Thriller by Richard White
Cover of the book The Atheist's Guide to Reality: Enjoying Life without Illusions by Richard White
Cover of the book Keep It Real: Everything You Need to Know About Researching and Writing Creative Nonfiction by Richard White
Cover of the book The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation (Norton Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology) by Richard White
Cover of the book Where the Money Is: True Tales from the Bank Robbery Capital of the World by Richard White
Cover of the book Walking the Dog: And Other Stories by Richard White
Cover of the book Can Intervention Work? (Norton Global Ethics Series) by Richard White
Cover of the book Magnificence: A Novel by Richard White
Cover of the book Becoming a Doctor: From Student to Specialist, Doctor-Writers Share Their Experiences by Richard White
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy