Overview

Conceived in the early 1800s and completed in 1825, the Erie Canal was the boldest and biggest American engineering project of its century, with enduring political, social, and economic effects. It was the Erie Canal that first opened up the West to American enterprise and imagination, bringing vast riches and a far-reaching vision to a rapidly expanding nation. In this compelling narrative, author Gerard Koeppel tells the complete, sweeping story of the creation of the canal, and of the memorable characters who turned a visionary plan into a successful venture. Koeppels extensive research includes major new findings about the construction of the canal as well as its enormous impact. Bond of Union provides a unique perspective on Manifest Destiny and the beginning of Americas self-perception as an empire destined to expand to the Pacific.

Full Product Details

9780306818271

Table of Contents

Reviews

<b><i>Magill Book Review</i>, October 2009</b> A lively account of one of the most famous transportation projects in history and its impact upon America Excellent Explains why this waterway was necessary and how it was constructed Fascinating An enthralling tale of economic chaos, political intrigue, and monumental achievement. <i>Bond of Union</i> is history well worth reading. <b><i>Bloomsbury Review</i>, October 2009</b> Monumental public works inspire and typically deserve grand exposure in books. The Erie Canal is no exception, even 184 years after its completion. This book is hardly the first to examine that feat, but it is one of the best <i>Bond of Union</i> provides some useful new information but shines mostly as an engaging narrative, stitching together the backstory and detailing the painful, step-by-step progress and sometimes, lack thereof as the grand ditch inched its way across the landscape. <b><i>Journal of American History</i>, December 2009</b> A richly detailed account A lively and often poignant account that is accessible to general readers and undergraduate students, while providing sufficient detail to engage historians Koeppel reinvigorates this familiar story, deepening readers understanding of this crucial event in nineteenth-century America.

"Magill Book Review, October 2009 ""A lively account of one of the most famous transportation projects in history and its impact upon America...Excellent...Explains why this waterway was necessary and how it was constructed...Fascinating...An enthralling tale of economic chaos, political intrigue, and monumental achievement. Bond of Union is history well worth reading."" Bloomsbury Review, October 2009 ""Monumental public works inspire--and typically deserve--grand exposure in books. The Erie Canal is no exception, even 184 years after its completion. This book is hardly the first to examine that feat, but it is one of the best... Bond of Union provides some useful new information...but shines mostly as an engaging narrative, stitching together the backstory and detailing the painful, step-by-step progress--and sometimes, lack thereof--as the grand ditch inched its way across the landscape."" Journal of American History, December 2009 ""A richly detailed account...A lively and often poignant account that is accessible to general readers and undergraduate students, while providing sufficient detail to engage historians...Koeppel reinvigorates this familiar story, deepening readers' understanding of this crucial event in nineteenth-century America."" Rome Sentinel, 1/6/10 ""You'll learn a lot about the Erie Canal...Or maybe unlearn some."" Lima News, 12/27/10 ""[A] compelling, sweeping narrative...Memorable characters...Koeppel unearths major new findings about the construction of the canal along with the surprising twists and turns of the bold venture."" Choice, February 2010 ""Departing from the standard sole praise for DeWitt Clinton, Koeppel adds many other names to the historical record...The book is well-researched and a good read about the various leaders of the effort, the various difficulties encountered while building the canal, and the backroom politics that swirled all around the project...Recommended."" Named a A ""Great Lakes, Great Reads"" pick by the Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association Rome Sentinel, 1/6/10 You ll learn a lot about the Erie Canal Or maybe unlearn some. Lima News, 12/27/10 [A] compelling, sweeping narrative Memorable characters Koeppel unearths major new findings about the construction of the canal along with the surprising twists and turns of the bold venture. Choice, February 2010 Departing from the standard sole praise for DeWitt Clinton, Koeppel adds many other names to the historical record The book is well-researched and a good read about the various leaders of the effort, the various difficulties encountered while building the canal, and the backroom politics that swirled all around the project Recommended. "" Named a A Great Lakes, Great Reads pick by theGreat Lakes Independent Booksellers Association"" ""Booklist,"" 3/1/09 ""[The Erie Canal's] economic impact--vaulting NYC over Philadelphia as the commercial capital of the U.S.--was ably recounted by business historian Peter Bernstein in Wedding of the Waters (2005); Koeppel adds greater emphasis in his narrative to the constellation of promoters and politicians who brought the canal into existence...[A] lively account."""

A comprehensive history of the building of the Erie Canal.Author of Water for Gotham: A History (2000) and a contributor to Water-Works: The Architecture and Engineering of the New York City Water Supply (2006), former CBS News editor Koeppel continues to explore the subject of the Big Apple's crucial connections to its waterways. The commitment to extensive research he brought to previous works is evident here as he ably tells the story of the many strong-willed visionaries who helped bring the Erie Canal into being. Chief among them was frontier merchant Jesse Hawley, who in 1807 wrote a series of essays from debtor's prison expounding on his dream of an overland waterway. Possessing little education and no engineering background, Hawley studied books and maps to craft a plan for a canal to connect Lake Erie with the Hudson River. His essays caught the attention of many prominent New Yorkers, including surveyor and city planner Joseph Ellicott, influential businessman Elkanah Watson and Gov. De Witt Clinton, who began to argue forcefully, in the face of widespread skepticism, for the building of the canal. Koeppel details the political twists and turns that surrounded the conceptualizing, funding, engineering and building of the Erie Canal. Finally completed in 1825, it was the first major link between the seaboard states and the landlocked interior. It proved an unmitigated boon for merchants, and the author convincingly argues that the canal hastened the birth of America as a continental nation. At times, the level of detail can be daunting - the author spends several pages expounding on a controversy about a patent for waterproof cement, for example - but there is little doubt Koeppel's history is the most complete and well-researched to date.Authoritative and important. (Kirkus Reviews)

Booklist, 3/1/09<br> [The Erie Canal's] economic impact--vaulting NYC over Philadelphia as the commercial capital of the U.S.--was ably recounted by business historian Peter Bernstein in Wedding of the Waters (2005); Koeppel adds greater emphasis in his narrative to the constellation of promoters and politicians who brought the canal into existence...[A] lively account.

Named a A Great Lakes, Great Reads pick by the Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association

Author Information

Gerard Koeppel is a writer, journalist, historian, and a former editor at CBS News. The author of the highly acclaimed Water for Gotham, he lives in Manhattan.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available