The Great Bridge - by David McCullough (Paperback)

About the Book

Originally published: New York: Simon and Schuster, 1972.

Book Synopsis

A monumental tale of American ambition, told by Pulitzer Prize-winning author and master historian David McCullough. This gripping saga of the creation of the Brooklyn Bridge, one of the country's boldest engineering achievements, reveals not only the politics and personalities behind "America's Eiffel Tower," but charts New York's ascent as a thriving metropolis.

Around 1870, during the Age of Optimism--a time when Americans believed anything was possible--the ambitious idea of constructing an unprecedented bridge across the East River to connect Manhattan and Brooklyn took root. This monumental project demanded a vision and determination on par with the efforts that built the great cathedrals of history.

Spearheaded by the Roebling family, the project faced staggering odds throughout its fourteen years of construction. Bodies were crushed, lives were lost, political empires fell, and waves of public emotion constantly threatened its progress. The Roeblings, too, were not immune to personal tragedies. Yet, Emily Roebling rose above these challenges to become the pivotal force behind the bridge's completion, shattering all societal expectations of her era. This is not just the story of an engineering miracle; it is a sweeping narrative of the social climate of the time and the heroes and rascals who either built or exploited this groundbreaking enterprise.

Review Quotes

"The Great Bridge is a book so compelling and complete as to be a literary monument. . . . McCullough has written that sort of work which brings us to the human center of the past."
--Los Angeles Times

"The Great Bridge is a great book. . . . This is the definitive book on the event. Do not wait for a better try: there won't be any."
--Norman Rosten, Newsday

"After reading David McCullough's account, you will never look at the old bridge in quite the same way again."
--Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, The New York Times

About the Author

David McCullough has twice received the Pulitzer Prize, for Truman and John Adams, and twice received the National Book Award, for The Path Between the Seas and Mornings on Horseback. His other acclaimed books include The Johnstown Flood, The Great Bridge, Brave Companions, 1776, The Greater Journey, The American Spirit, The Wright Brothers, and The Pioneers. He is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award. Visit DavidMcCullough.com.