About the Author

Matthew Goodman is the author of two other nonfiction books, "The Sun and the Moon: The Remarkable True Account of Hoaxers, Showmen, Dueling Journalists, and Lunar Man-Bats in Nineteenth-Century New York" and "Jewish Food: The World at Table." The recipient of two MacDowell fellowships and one Yaddo fellowship, he has taught creative writing at numerous universities and workshops. He lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife and children.

Reviews

What a story! What an extraordinary historical adventure! Amanda Foreman, author of "A World on Fire"
A fun, fast, page-turning action-adventure . . . the exhilarating journey of two pioneering women, Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland, as they race around the globe. Karen Abbott, author of "American Rose"
[A] marvelous tale of adventure . . . The story of these two pioneering women unfolds amid the excitement, setbacks, crises, missed opportunities and a global trek unlike any other in its time. . . . Why would you want to miss out on the incredible journey that takes you to the finish line page after nail-biting page? "Chicago Sun-Times" (Best Books of the Year)
In a stunning feat of narrative nonfiction, Matthew Goodman brings the nineteenth century to life, tracing the history of two intrepid journalists as they tackled two male-dominated fields world travel and journalism in an era of incredible momentum. Jules Verne, train and ship travel, and international snapshots are included as Goodman laces biography with history in a book that has something for everyone. Minneapolis" Star Tribune"
Goodman writes exceedingly well. . . . Delightful . . . solid history . . . filled with energizing details. History lovers will eat it up. "Library Journal"
The true story of Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland, two journalists racing to see who could circle the globe first and faster than any man before them is as riveting now as it was when it captivated the nation in 1889. "Parade"
Matthew Goodman takes readers on a riveting ride back to 1889 for the original amazing race. . . . Goodman s eighteen months of meticulous research and his compelling narrative nonfiction being their stories to life in vivid period detail. "American Way"
Lively and vivid . . . Goodman is a master storyteller, with no agenda to push, and his armchair tour is a treat to read. "The Columbus Dispatch"
In his delightful, well-researched book . . . Matthew Goodman brings to life the two women, the complicated, fast-changing times and the way the whole country was swept up in their parallel adventures. This is fully documented history, drawing on contemporary accounts, letters and the women s own writing, but Goodman crafts it into a page-turner. Minneapolis "Star Tribune"
Matthew Goodman s truly exciting account of [Bly s and Bisland s] journeys . . . is also quite a fun trip for his readers. He has the gift of turning meticulous research into vividly imagined details. . . . A fully satisfying portrait of the era. "Bust" magazine
["Eighty Days"] is a dazzling tour of the world at a time when travel routes were just opening up; a look at sensationalist journalism and pop culture in pre-Kardashian America; and a testimony to how hard women had to fight to get work and achieve respect as journalists. "BookPage"
The story s engaging, the writing gripping, and the treatment how Bly and Bisland are praised for combating sexism and denigrated for ignoring classism and embracing imperialism is as clear-eyed as you can get. Well worth a read. "The Literary Omnivore"
Deftly mixing social history into an absorbing travel epic, Goodman conveys the exuberant dynamism of a very unfusty Victorian era obsessed with speed, power, publicity, and the breaking of every barrier. "Publishers Weekly"
A richly detailed double narrative of the adventures of two young women journalists in a race against time . . . entertaining and readable throughout. "Kirkus Reviews""

"What a story! What an extraordinary historical adventure!"--Amanda Foreman, author of "A World on Fire"
"A fun, fast, page-turning action-adventure . . . the exhilarating journey of two pioneering women, Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland, as they race around the globe."--Karen Abbott, author of "American Rose"
"[A] marvelous tale of adventure . . . The story of these two pioneering women unfolds amid the excitement, setbacks, crises, missed opportunities and a global trek unlike any other in its time. . . . Why would you want to miss out on the incredible journey that takes you to the finish line page after nail-biting page?"--"Chicago Sun-Times" (Best Books of the Year)
"In a stunning feat of narrative nonfiction, Matthew Goodman brings the nineteenth century to life, tracing the history of two intrepid journalists as they tackled two male-dominated fields--world travel and journalism--in an era of incredible momentum. Jules Verne, train and ship travel, and international snapshots are included as Goodman laces biography with history in a book that has something for everyone."--Minneapolis" Star Tribune"
"Goodman writes exceedingly well. . . . Delightful . . . solid history . . . filled with energizing details. History lovers will eat it up."--"Library Journal"
"The true story of Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland, two journalists racing to see who could circle the globe first--and faster than any man before them--is as riveting now as it was when it captivated the nation in 1889."--"Parade"
"Matthew Goodman takes readers on a riveting ride back to 1889 for the original amazing race. . . . Goodman's eighteen months of meticulous research and his compelling narrative nonfiction being their stories to life in vivid period detail."--"American Way"
"Lively and vivid . . . Goodman is a master storyteller, with no agenda to push, and his armchair tour is a treat to read."--"The Columbus Dispatch"
"In his delightful, well-researched book . . . Matthew Goodman brings to life the two women, the complicated, fast-changing times and the way the whole country was swept up in their parallel adventures. This is fully documented history, drawing on contemporary accounts, letters and the women's own writing, but Goodman crafts it into a page-turner."--Minneapolis "Star Tribune"
"Matthew Goodman's truly exciting account of [Bly's and Bisland's] journeys . . . is also quite a fun trip for his readers. He has the gift of turning meticulous research into vividly imagined details. . . . A fully satisfying portrait of the era."--"Bust" magazine
"["Eighty Days"] is a dazzling tour of the world at a time when travel routes were just opening up; a look at sensationalist journalism and pop culture in pre-Kardashian America; and a testimony to how hard women had to fight to get work and achieve respect as journalists."--"BookPage"
"The story's engaging, the writing gripping, and the treatment--how Bly and Bisland are praised for combating sexism and denigrated for ignoring classism and embracing imperialism--is as clear-eyed as you can get. Well worth a read."--"The Literary Omnivore"
"Deftly mixing social history into an absorbing travel epic, Goodman conveys the exuberant dynamism of a very unfusty Victorian era obsessed with speed, power, publicity, and the breaking of every barrier."--"Publishers Weekly"
"A richly detailed double narrative of the adventures of two young women journalists in a race against time . . . entertaining and readable throughout."--"Kirkus Reviews"

"The true story of Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland, two journalists racing to see who could circle the globe first--and faster than any man before them--is as riveting now as it was when it captivated the nation in 1889."--"Parade"
"Matthew Goodman takes readers on a riveting ride back to 1889 for the original amazing race. . . . Goodman's eighteen months of meticulous research and his compelling narrative nonfiction being their stories to life in vivid period detail."--"American Way"
"Lively and vivid . . . Goodman is a master storyteller, with no agenda to push, and his armchair tour is a treat to read."--"The Columbus Dispatch"
"In his delightful, well-researched book . . . Matthew Goodman brings to life the two women, the complicated, fast-changing times and the way the whole country was swept up in their parallel adventures. This is fully documented history, drawing on contemporary accounts, letters and the women's own writing, but Goodman crafts it into a page-turner."--Minneapolis "Star Tribune"
"Matthew Goodman's truly exciting account of [Bly's and Bisland's] journeys . . . is also quite a fun trip for his readers. He has the gift of turning meticulous research into vividly imagined details. . . . A fully satisfying portrait of the era."--"BUST" magazine
"["Eighty Days"] is a dazzling tour of the world at a time when travel routes were just opening up; a look at sensationalist journalism and pop culture in pre-Kardashian America; and a testimony to how hard women had to fight to get work and achieve respect as journalists."--"BookPage"
"The story's engaging, the writing gripping, and the treatment--how Bly and Bisland are praised for combating sexism and denigrated for ignoring classism and embracing imperialism--is as clear-eyed as you can get. Well worth a read."--The Literary Omnivore
"Deftly mixing social history into an absorbing travel epic, Goodman conveys the exuberant dynamism of a veryt

"Matthew Goodman takes readers on a riveting ride back to 1889 for the original amazing race. . . . Goodman's eighteen months of meticulous research and his compelling narrative nonfiction being their stories to life in vivid period detail."--"American Way"
"Lively and vivid . . . Goodman is a master storyteller, with no agenda to push, and his armchair tour is a treat to read."--"The Columbus Dispatch"
"In his delightful, well-researched book . . . Matthew Goodman brings to life the two women, the complicated, fast-changing times and the way the whole country was swept up in their parallel adventures. This is fully documented history, drawing on contemporary accounts, letters and the women's own writing, but Goodman crafts it into a page-turner."--Minneapolis "Star Tribune"
"Matthew Goodman's truly exciting account of [Bly's and Bisland's] journeys . . . is also quite a fun trip for his readers. He has the gift of turning meticulous research into vividly imagined details. . . . A fully satisfying portrait of the era."--"BUST" magazine
"["Eighty Days"] is a dazzling tour of the world at a time when travel routes were just opening up; a look at sensationalist journalism and pop culture in pre-Kardashian America; and a testimony to how hard women had to fight to get work and achieve respect as journalists."--"BookPage"
"The story's engaging, the writing gripping, and the treatment--how Bly and Bisland are praised for combating sexism and denigrated for ignoring classism and embracing imperialism--is as clear-eyed as you can get. Well worth a read."--The Literary Omnivore
"Deftly mixing social history into an absorbing travel epic, Goodman conveys the exuberant dynamism of a very unfusty Victorian era obsessed with speed, power, publicity, and the breaking of every barrier."--"Publishers Weekly"
"A richly detailed double narrative of the adventures of two young women journalists in a race against time . . .

Advance praise for "Eighty Days"

"What a story! What an extraordinary historical adventure!"--Amanda Foreman, author of "A World on Fire"

"Vividly imagined and gorgeously detailed, "Eighty Days" recounts the exhilarating journey of two pioneering women, Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland, as they race around the globe. Matthew Goodman has crafted a fun, fast, page-turning action-adventure that will make you wish you could carry their bags."--Karen Abbott, author of "American Rose"

"What a delight to circumnavigate the globe with pioneering journalists Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland. The two women carve out an adventurous path in a constrained Victorian world that cares as much about their marriage prospects and the number of trunks they pack as about their trailblazing career aspirations. Matthew Goodman's lively writing and detailed research bring the story of these two remarkable women to life as they race around the world, full steam ahead, giving us an intimate look at a late-nineteenth-century world that is suddenly shrinking in the face of rapid technological change. Only one of these two remarkable women can win the race around the world, but the reader of this fascinating tale will be certain of a reward."--Elizabeth Letts, author of "The Eighty-Dollar Champion"

In November 1889, two young women reporters, Nelly Bly and Elizabeth Bisland, one backed by a newspaper and the other by a monthly periodical, set off on a race to see who could make it first around the world. No one had actually beaten the fictional 80 days set by Phileas Fogg in Jules Verne's 1873 novel. Bly went east, Bisland west. Bly won, though there were allegations of fraud. (In France, a mysterious travel agent gave Bisland misleading directions, delaying her passage by several days.) In the interest of efficient travel, neither of the young women could do much en route except eat, sleep, and scurry from conveyance to conveyance as they traveled around the world at a dizzying pace. Goodman writes exceedingly well, producing an engaging book in which he manages as best he can to maintain a level of excitement by including fascinating contextual information on a number of topics, especially the barriers facing women who sought to break out of the mold of feminine acquiescence in the 1890s. VERDICT A delightful trifle-solid history, though not wide ranging-filled with energizing details. History lovers will eat it up.-David Keymer, Modesto, CA (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.