Publishers Weekly
Modern Manhattan is a miracle in many ways, but all of its imports, commuters included, must traverse at least one river to get there. In 1900, the New York Central, owned by the Vanderbilts, already gave Manhattan a northern connection over the narrow Harlem River. A southern connection over the mile-wide Hudson would be a whole different story. Alexander Cassatt, president of the Pennsylvania Railroad, was the visionary on the project. But how to do it? A bridge plan fell through due to expense; a tunnel would lack the oxygen needed for steam engines. The breakthrough lay in the cutting-edge electrified locomotives developed in Paris. Historian Jonnes (Empires of Light), demonstrating impressive immersion in the Gilded Age, ably spins the tale, which bears some similarities to The Devil in the White City. This is a vivid story of hardball Tammany Hall maneuvering and mind-boggling engineering. Once construction began, the two-track narrative settles on the daunting construction of the tunnels and Charles McKim's much-admired design of the terminus at Pennsylvania Station, prized by New Yorkers only after its ill-considered demise in 1963. Jonnes can claim an important addition to the popular literature of how New York became the archetype of a great American metropolis. (Apr. 23) Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.
Library Journal
In 1901, the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) embarked on an epic nine-year project to bring its tracks into New York City. It would involve two tunnels under the Hudson River, four under the East River, and the building of the majestic Penn Station in midtown Manhattan. In her meticulous history, Jonnes (Empires of Light: Edison, Tesla, Westinghouse, and the Race To Electrify the World) brings to life the project's leaders, its workers, and early 1900s New York City. She carefully explains how engineering decisions were made to overcome the extremely difficult tunneling conditions. She creates suspense over the PRR's investigation of why the Hudson River tunnels kept shifting in the riverbed's silt. She gives full attention to the McKim, Mead & White architectural designs for Penn Station and details the sensational Stanford White murder and trial. Throughout, she seamlessly weaves in the machinations of the Tammany Hall political machine and the imperious practices of Gilded Age business tycoons. In a sad epilog, she chronicles the decline of the PRR and Penn Station's demolition in 1963. Several dozen superbly chosen period photos and diagrams round out the book. Jonnes has produced a well-researched and fast-paced history that is most highly recommended to all libraries.
—Lawrence R. Maxted
From the Publisher
"David Drummond's voice deserves five stars.... The author's skill and a narrator perfect for nonfiction will delight lovers of true stories from the past." ---AudioFile
OCT/NOV 07 - AudioFile
Gotham, of course, means New York City, and the Pennsylvania Railroad conquered much to bring its trains to Manhattan Island. Aside from maneuvering the politics and designing a monumental station, there was the engineering nightmare of crossing the mile-wide Hudson River with four subterranean tunnels. David Drummond’s voice deserves five stars for tempo, understandability, and tone. He avoids the pitfalls of excessive theatrics or droning by choosing subtle accents for quotations without making them distracting. These voices always fit the author’s clues about who is speaking, and they create a learning experience far better than the printed word. The author’s skill and a narrator perfect for nonfiction will delight lovers of true stories from the past. J.A.H. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine
