Christian Wolmar is a writer and broadcaster specializing in the social history of railways and transport. He has written for major British newspapers for many years and has contributed to many other publications, including the New York Times and Newsday. He frequently appears on TV and radio as an expert commentator. His most recent books are The Subterranean Railway, a history of the London Underground, the world's oldest system, and Fire & Steam, the story of Britain's railways.
Wall Street Journal
"[Wolmar] covers a great deal of territory in "Blood, Iron and
Gold," but he keeps the reader engaged by highlighting
extraordinary projects like the building of the Trans-Siberian
Railway from 1891 to 1904. It connected St. Petersburg to
Vladivostok, a distance of almost 6,200 miles. Equally stirring is
the saga of Cecil Rhodes and his never-completed Cape-to-Cairo
line; and that of Peru's vertiginous Central Railway, which ascends
the Andes and passes through the Galera Tunnel, 15,694 feet above
sea level. The book also features cameo appearances by such
colorful figures as Benito Mussolini, who may or may not have made
Italy's trains run on time but who definitely made them run faster
and more frequently. Nor does Mr. Wolmar neglect the pop-culture
angle: Agatha Christie fans will be sorry to learn that history
records no instance of a real-life murder on the Orient
Express."
Dallas Morning News"It's not clear who first thought of putting
carts and carriages on flanged wheels and hauling them over iron
rails behind steam engines. But the railroad, writes transportation
historian Christian Wolmar, changed everything. And he means
everything....It's a vast geopolitical story, but Wolmar manages to
tell it without losing sight of the romance and adventure, the
triumphs and frequent tragedies that accompanied the advancing
rails."
Richard F. Harnish, Executive Director, Midwest High Speed Rail
Association
"Blood, Iron, and Gold reminds us that the railroads did more than
just speed up travel or build up national economies. They literally
changed the way human beings experienced, thought about and lived
their lives. Christian Wolmar's book should put all high-speed-rail
advocates on notice. Trains can return to the American landscape,
traveling twice as fast, reprising the social revolution they set
off almost two centuries ago."
Library Journal STARRED Review
"[Wolmar's] work is both a serious history and an adventure story.
Highly recommended for anyone interested in the growth and global
historical impact of railroads."
Publishers Weekly
"Wolmar explores this fertile subject with a blend of lucid
exposition and engaging historical narrative. The result is a
fascinating study not just of a transportation system, but of the
Promethean spirit of the modern age."
Richard F. Harnish, Executive Director, Midwest High Speed Rail
Association
""Blood, Iron, and Gold" reminds us that the railroads did more
than just speed up travel or build up national economies. They
literally changed the way human beings experienced, thought about
and lived their lives. Christian Wolmar's book should put all
high-speed-rail advocates on notice. Trains can return to the
American landscape, traveling twice as fast, reprising the social
revolution they set off almost two centuries ago."
"Library Journal STARRED Review"
"[Wolmar's] work is both a serious history and an adventure story.
Highly recommended for anyone interested in the growth and global
historical impact of railroads."
"Publishers Weekly"
"Wolmar explores this fertile subject with a blend of lucid
exposition and engaging historical narrative. The result is a
fascinating study not just of a transportation system, but of the
Promethean spirit of the modern age."
"Wall Street Journal"
"[Wolmar] covers a great deal of territory in "Blood, Iron and
Gold," but he keeps the reader engaged by highlighting
extraordinary projects like the building of the Trans-Siberian
Railway from 1891 to 1904. It connected St. Petersburg to
Vladivostok, a distance of almost 6,200 miles. Equally stirring is
the saga of Cecil Rhodes and his never-completed Cape-to-Cairo
line; and that of Peru's vertiginous Central Railway, which ascends
the Andes and passes through the Galera Tunnel, 15,694 feet above
sea level. The book also features cameo appearances by such
colorful figures as Benito Mussolini, who may or may not have made
Italy's trains run on time but who definitely made them run faster
and more frequently. Nor does Mr. Wolmar neglect the pop-culture
angle: Agatha Christie fans will be sorry to learn that history
records no instance of a real-life murder on the Orient
Express."
"Dallas Morning News""It's not clear who first thought of putting
carts and carriages o
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