The epic story of the struggle to connect New York City to the rest of the nation
The demolition of Penn Station in 1963 destroyed not just a soaring neoclassical edifice, but also a building that commemorated one of the last centuryβs great engineering featsβthe construction of railroad tunnels into New York City. Now, in this gripping narrative, Jill Jonnes tells this fascinating storyβa high-stakes drama that pitted the money and will of the nationβs mightiest railroad against the corruption of Tammany Hall, the unruly forces of nature, and the machinations of labor agitators. In 1901, the president of the Pennsylvania Railroad, Alexander Cassatt, determined that it was technically feasible to build a system of tunnels connecting Manhattan to New Jersey and Long Island. Confronted by payoff-hungry politicians, brutal underground working conditions, and disastrous blowouts and explosions, it would take him nearly a decade to make Penn Station and its tunnels a reality. Set against the bustling backdrop of Gilded Age New York, Conquering Gotham will enthrall fans of David McCulloughβs The Great Bridge and Ron Chernowβs Titan.
Media Buzz
All Things Considered - June 9, 2007 Diane Rehm Show - NPR - June 6, 2007 Diane Rehm Show - NPR - April 19, 2007 Diane Rehm Show - NPR - April 12, 2007
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