Iron Rails, Iron Men, and the Race to Link the Nation: The Story of the Transcontinental Railroad - Hardcover

Sandler, Martin W.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0763665274 ISBN 13: 9780763665272

Publisher: Candlewick, 2015

Synopsis

Experience the race of rails to link the country—and meet the men behind this incredible feat—in a riveting story about the building of the transcontinental railroad, brought to life with archival photos.

In the 1850s, gold fever swept the West, but people had to walk, sail, or ride horses for months on end to seek their fortune. The question of faster, safer transportation was posed by national leaders. But with 1,800 miles of seemingly impenetrable mountains, searing deserts, and endless plains between the Missouri River and San Francisco, could a transcontinental railroad be built? It seemed impossible. Eventually, two railroad companies, the Central Pacific, which laid the tracks eastward, and the Union Pacific, which moved west, began the job. In one great race between iron men with iron wills, tens of thousands of workers blasted the longest tunnels that had ever been constructed, built the highest bridges that had ever been created, and finally linked the nation by two bands of steel, changing America forever.

About this title

About the Author

Martin W. Sandler has written more than seventy books for children and adults, including The Impossible Rescue: The True Story of an Amazing Arctic Adventure, and has written and produced seven television series. He lives with his wife in Massachusetts.

Reviews

Gr 7 Up—Sandler chronicles the development of the transcontinental railroad, from its genesis through its legacy, with an abundance of photographs and lively text. Alternating chapters describe the progress made by the two companies—the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific—and the author incorporates maps and images, appropriately placed along the way, to further convey the magnitude of the railroad. The pacing, particularly when the two teams meet, is spot-on and mimics the advances of a train. Sandler tempers this engineering feat with details about the corruption that surrounded it, the "Hell on Wheels" towns that appeared alongside the tracks, and the human and environmental toll it took, which enables readers to look critically at an historical event. Sidebars and primary sources, which highlight people and innovations and enrich the narrative, interrupt the story's flow in a few places. Even though Sandler expounds throughout on the sacrifices made by Chinese workers and the irreparable impact on Native Americans and their culture, the book is written from the perspective of those in power. VERDICT Sandler tells a good story, filled with complex characters, adventure, and heartache, and he meticulously documents his research efforts.—Hilary Writt, Sullivan University, Lexington, KY

Edition details

• Publisher: Candlewick
• Publication date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0763665274
• ISBN 13: 9780763665272
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 224