What readers think of The Race Underground, plus links to write your own review.

The Race Underground is a good historical account of the characters involved in the early days of mass transit in the cities of Boston and New York. I wonder if the book would appeal to those not familiar with these great American cities.
I must confess I am from the Brookline/Boston area where much of the events took place so I found the background quite interesting yet the writing style was not as fine-tuned as it could have been missing the flow of a well-seasoned author.

The path from horse-drawn carriages in the late nineteenth century to electric subways was not always a linear solution, nor was it easy. Yet in Boston and New York, two of the country's early-growth cities, the need to relieve congestion was an absolutely imperative one. I find it interesting that today, any grander agenda for the expansion of subways -- or public transportation in general -- seems to have taken the back burner, superseded by Americans' love of the automobile. But Doug Most's chronicle of how the subways got their start in two of the most dynamic metropolises in the United States makes for riveting and compelling reading. The addition of pictures would have made for an even more complete look, but Most's writing definitely fills in the gaps smoothly. I was completely transported. Highly recommended, especially for history geeks.