Beiming in 1842 with a visionar's dream to span the contret with twin bands of iron, Empire Express captures three dramatic lecades in which the United States effectively doubled in size, fought. hree wars, and began to discover a new national identity. From self made entrepreneurs such as the Union Pacific's Thomas Durant and the Central Pacific's Collis Huntington, to era-defining figures such as as rêsident Lincoln, Generals Grant and Sherman, Mark Twain, and Walt Whitman, to the thousands of nameless laborers -especially the Irish and shinesewhose backbreaking work made the railroad possible, this ›xtraordinary narrative summons an astonishing array of voices to give lew dimension, not only to this monumental endeavor, but also to the ulture, politieal struggles, and social conflicts of an unforgettable period n American history.

ISBN: 9780140084993