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The Great Bridge
The Great Bridge: The Epic Story of the Building of the Brooklyn Bridge | David McCullough
The dramatic and enthralling story of the building of the Brooklyn Bridge, the worlds longest suspension bridge at the time, a tale of greed, corruption, and obstruction but also of optimism, heroism, and determination, told by master historian David McCullough. This monumental book is the enthralling story of one of the greatest events in our nations history, during the Age of Optimisma period when Americans were convinced in their hearts that all things were possible. In the years around 1870, when the project was first undertaken, the concept of building an unprecedented bridge to span the East River between the great cities of Manhattan and Brooklyn required a vision and determination comparable to that which went into the building of the great cathedrals. Throughout the fourteen years of its construction, the odds against the successful completion of the bridge seemed staggering. Bodies were crushed and broken, lives lost, political empires fell, and surges of public emotion constantly threatened the project. But this is not merely the saga of an engineering miracle; it is a sweeping narrative of the social climate of the time and of the heroes and rascals who had a hand in either constructing or exploiting the surpassing enterprise.
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LeslieO
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Love me some nonfiction! #TLT #ThreeListThursday

Aims42 Bill Bryson & Erik Larson are in my Top 10 favorite authors 🤩👏🙌 8mo
dabbe Love all 3 of these authors, and I haven't read any of these! You know where they're now going! 🤩 Thanks for sharing. 💚💙💚 8mo
29 likes2 comments
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Texreader
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Another $2 find at Goodwill. The books I got were on my tbr list so I was very fortunate. This one was set out for sale Jan 8.

dabbe A masterful truth-teller. John Adams was probably the best autobiography I have ever read. Yet. 😀 2y
58 likes1 comment
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Amiable
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Very sad to hear about the death of David McCullough today. He was my favorite historian and a must-buy anytime he published a new book. Posting this photo in his memory. I met him in 2015 when he was giving a presentation at Yale University (which he attended). I work at Yale New Haven Hospital around the block, bumped into him on the street and followed him into the lecture. He was warm and gracious and a wonderful speaker. RIP, Mr. McCullough.

KristiAhlers Oh this makes me sad. I‘ve always loved his books! 2y
JamieArc What a great memory ❤️ 2y
kspenmoll What a lovely tribute! 2y
56 likes3 comments
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EadieB
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Day 24 - #Bridges #MagicalMay
#TheGreatBridge #DavidMcCullough

I read this in 2011 and enjoyed it very much. Very interesting!

Eggs Oh how fascinating- I love bridges 🌉 4y
33 likes1 comment
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IamIamIam
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Before starting on the Brooklyn Bridge, John Roebling began building suspension bridges to carry trains. This was a bridge built over the Niagara Falls whirlpool! In the 1860s and 1870s, these are amazing feats of engineering!!!

TrishB They certainly are! 5y
Lauram I‘ve got to get this one! 5y
IamIamIam @Lauram It's extremely thorough and the audio is twice as long as Johnstown!!! 5y
30 likes3 comments
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IamIamIam
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Wild swing in audiobooks from the library!! Lol... I'm in deep for 27 hours! ⛷

37 likes1 stack add
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OriginalCyn620
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I love the Brooklyn #Bridge! The story behind it is amazing, and I‘d love to read this book to get more of the facts. And if you visit NYC, I highly recommend walking across the bridge! ❤️🗽🌁
#letstravelaugust

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 📚🙌🏻 🌉 5y
47 likes1 comment
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EadieB
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Pickpick

#GreatBridge #DavidMcCullough #LetsTravelAugust

I read this book in 2011 and enjoyed it very much! It is about the building of The Brooklyn Bridge. McCullough is an awesome writer! Who would think a book about a bridge would be so interesting!

Scochrane26 Apparently, the architect of the Brooklyn bridge also designed a famous bridge in my area. High Bridge in KY. It doesn‘t have the arches like Brooklyn bridge anymore, but it‘s the highest train bridge over a navigable stream (ky River) in the US. 5y
Texreader He can make a cardboard box fascinating. He‘s a great writer. 5y
EadieB @Scochrane26 Thanks for your comment! Very intereting! 5y
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EadieB @Texreader Yes I agree! He's very readable! 5y
OriginalCyn620 👌🏻❤️📚 5y
MicrobeMom My husband is currently reading this one and very much enjoying it! 5y
EadieB @MicrobeMom Nice! It is a very enjoyable book even if it's about a bridge! lol 5y
66 likes7 comments
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chuckstar158
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Pickpick

The soul of this architect squeed in delight the entire time. The face was more stoic.

tpixie ♥️🤣♥️ 5y
13 likes2 comments
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Samplergal
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Pickpick

An excellent historical book on the trials of building the greatest bridge in the USA. For certain, greed and horrible politicians is not a new phenomenon. 😉🌟🌟🌟🌟

tournevis I can't get the quote from Kate and Leopold out of my head about this: “The grrrreatest man-made errrrrection of all time!“ I'm twelve. 5y
Samplergal @tournevis 😂😂😂 5y
87 likes2 comments
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Historylover
Pickpick

This book is so amazing! I couldn‘t put it down.

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Cinfhen
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#MarchIntoThe70s From my TBR @Blueberry a behemoth from David McCullough a story about the building of the Brooklyn Bridge ~ looks fascinating but I‘m thinking of trying audio as book is over 600 pages #PageCountPhobia
#BridgeOverTroubledWaters

Cinfhen I choose a McCullough like you @Blueberry 6y
Blueberry His books always have good reviews. 6y
Crazeedi I've always wanted to read this one of his 6y
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Theaelizabet McCullough sometimes narrates his own books, and quite nicely, too. 6y
Amiable I loved this book —so much fascinating stuff in it. 6y
Cinfhen I just checked and there are 2 variations on Audible @Blueberry @Crazeedi @Theaelizabet @Amiable one is 27 hours the other is 10! So I‘m guessing abridged and unabridged 🤪No way am I committing to 27 hours, even 10 hours seems like a real commitment 😂 6y
Crazeedi @Cinfhen good to know! 6y
Mdargusch Go for the abridged! 6y
96 likes1 stack add8 comments
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GinEyre22
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Current status of #newtsreadathon2018

Smangela What a cute idea on how to track 😍 6y
23 likes1 comment
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DMC_run8
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Pickpick

Well researched and interesting. Some of the technical descriptions were too dense for me. I have not read any of McCullough's other books but members of my book club enjoyed 1776 and John Adams more. Luna was tired of being ignored.

LeslieO I really loved this one! 7y
7 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Kpulver
Pickpick

Perfect for NYC trip

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Alwayscoolwb
Pickpick

A book as epic as the building of the bridge. Long and well researched.

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Nitpickyabouttrains
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Pickpick

I love the story of this engineering feat. The politics and science that went into this bridge, which was the first of its kind and a record breaker on so many levels, is astounding. #bookbingo #roguebookbingo #bookwithaprotagonistwhohasourprofession

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Lynnsoprano
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These are two books for my husband that I am #givingasagift for Christmas. He has read a lot of history since he retired. And our bookcase is now home to our holiday village, which will probably appear as a backdrop for other photos this month.

LeahBergen I can't post a photo of the books I've bought for my husband as every so often he likes to read through Litsy. 😂 8y
JanuarieTimewalker13 Ooooh, Great Bridge!! I think that is going on my TBR!! 8y
ValerieAndBooks I just began reading Destiny of the Republic. I think your husband will like it! I have a holiday village too but still need to set it up! My son likes to help with that and won't have time for a while yet. 8y
ValerieAndBooks *he won't have the time 8y
61 likes1 stack add4 comments
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GoneFishing

One of the first problems to be faced at Niagara was how to get a wire over the gorge and its violent river. Ellet solved that nicely by offering five dollars to the first American boy to fly a kite over to the Canadian side. The prize was won by young Homer Walsh... Once the kite string was across, a succession of heavier cords and ropes was pulled over, and in a short time the first length of wire went on its way.

LeahBergen Cool! 8y
Readingrobin Isn't McCullough great? 8y
41 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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Chiperskee
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This book was meant to be a fill in until some other holds came thru. But now I'm hooked. I want to load the fam in our canoe for an epic adventure. Start in the Housatonic and end under the Brooklyn Bridge.

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MrBook
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Discussing "The Great Bridge" with my and @BookBabe 's LongReads Book Club on NYC. Brunch: bread basket with five different kinds of breads, including raisin, banana nut, and cinnamon. With hazelnut spread, apricot confiture, and raspberry jam. With mint iced tea. Mmmmmm... Love my bookclubs. #BookBrunch

kspenmoll You are making me hungry! 8y
DaniRa Just drooled on my phone...😋 8y
LilMamaMastro Why are you always making me hungry? 😩😄 8y
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Cinfhen Yum, bread basket 😍 8y
Tav Love the idea of a brunch-time book club. We do ours every 6th Friday night. 8y
aLmYbNeNr Yum! 8y
JSW This looks perfect. 8y
KarouBlue Thoughts?? I generally love David McCullough! Thinking I should add this to my list? 8y
Zelma I need to move to NY. Brunch and book club? 👍☕️🍞🍩 8y
KVanRead Drooling...AGAIN. Thanks @MrBook ! 😝 8y
Lidia Sounds like a really good book club... And that bread basket looks yummy 8y
readinginthedark That looks amazing! You eat the best foods! 8y
ultrabookgeek Was this Le Pan Quotidian? 8y
MrBook @kspenmoll @DaniRa @LilMamaMastro @Cinfhen @aLmYbNeNr @KVanRead @readinginthedark 😆👌🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻!!! Soulmate, family, books, and food, are life's top priorities; since the first 2 don't like their pics being taken, I have to suffice with the presenting the other 2 😎👍🏻. 8y
MrBook @Tav It works out really well to the point where I have most of my bookclubs meet for brunch 😊👍🏻. Luckily, no one so far has spit food while talking 😆. @Skiles Mmmm, nice 😋! @JSW Thank you! It hit the proverbial spot 😎👌🏻. @thecomfykitchen Yes! He's phenomenal. Definitely add, everyone liked this read 😊👍🏻. @Zelma 😂👍🏻! Well, the brunch part worked its way in when we wound up having to meet at an eatery, lol. @Lidia Thank you! 😁😁😁 8y
MrBook @sharimichele Yes! We had a great server who let us pick our breads this time 😁👍🏻! 8y
KarouBlue @MrBook Adding now. Cheers! 8y
Blueberry Yum... 8y
150 likes3 stack adds18 comments
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MrBook
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Pickpick

While this is a traditional history book, large swathes of TGB almost came across as Erik Larson's narrative non-fiction. DM provides extensive and technical details regarding not just bridge construction vís-a-vís engineering, but also the drafting, the politicking, & the PR campaigning. Also discussed: the history of the time, bridge history, & the personalities involved. Great narration! #PairWith: Brooklyn Brewery Pilsner, cold, bottles up.

Erynecki Love just about everything David McCullough writes! 8y
Leslie Mccullough's books always read as stories, instead of "history." Love his books! 8y
Suzze I think that was the first of his books I read. Recently I picked up The Wright Brothers. 8y
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TheNextBook I was just looking at getting this! I'm glad you enjoyed this one. Looks I need to stack it. Sweet. 8y
MeganMarieWrites I love David McCullough's books! 8y
Hollie I love McCullough, although it might be the history nerd in me! 8y
Shortstack DM is my dad's favorite writer! He's read everything he's ever written. 8y
MMFinck You might also like Liberty's Torch by Elizabeth Mitchell. 8y
OrangeMooseReads I think I might have to take a closer look at this one. 8y
MrBook @Erynecki @Leslie @MeganMarieWrites @Hollie @Shortstack McCollough is just so...profoundly enlightening, you know? He's a master of his craft and has been rightly recognized as such. Thank goodness we've had him in the authorial realm. 8y
MrBook @Suzze I read the Johnstown Flood by him as well since I grew up in that area. He hooked me back then 😊👍🏻. @TheNextBook Oh yes, you'd be adding some more refinement to your stack with his presence in it 😁👍🏻. @Hollie I'm a #HistoryNerd as well. #HistoryNerdsUnite ! Most of my audio queue is populated with thick history books 😊🤓. @MMF Oooh, thank you for the rec! Adding now, very much appreciated 😊👍🏻! @OrangeMooseReads Yes! Please do! 😁 8y
125 likes14 stack adds11 comments
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MrBook
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Devoting most of my time to this audiobook right now. My and @BookBabe 's 20/30-Something LongReads Book Club has this coming up on Sunday in NYC. A perfect book for the City. Amazing narration unfolding before my eager ears. I'm only a 1/3 of the way through, but I'd recommend this tome already. McCullough is a master, and this book ranks among his best.

ramyasbookshelf Sounds like a great book! 8y
Readingrobin So glad you mentioned it is a superb audiobook. My husband and I are always in search of good ones. 8y
Lynnsoprano My husband loves his books. Thanks for the gift idea. 8y
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MrBook @ramyasbookshelf @Readingrobin @Lynnsoprano It's so good 😊! Glad I could help with future reads and gift ideas 😁👍🏻! 8y
Keegz63 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼 8y
SusanInTiburon I loved this so much. Thanks for the reminder! 8y
139 likes15 stack adds7 comments