What readers think of Nothing Like It In The World, plus links to write your own review.

This is the best history book I have ever read. Nothing else like it in the world says it all.

I like this book. She is a very good author to be able to write this. Her contexts are in perfect harmony. Peace Out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ambrose details the transcontinental railroad's conception and its building in such a way as to draw the reader into the distance race between the Central Pacific and Union Pacific, America’s two first large corporations. The people, all of the people responsible for the railroad are in this book, from the politicians to the track laborers. It is a wonderful story of our country’s growth spurt after the Civil War.

Overall, this book was highly factual and detailed. Ambrose truly researched his topic. However; as a history major from the University of Arkansas at Monticello, I felt these details were slightly too much. I was so bagged down with details that I missed some of the key points and main summary of the piece the first time through. But, such details added objectivity to my research paper. Also, it helped me better picture the characters and the lifestyle of the railroad patrons featured in this book. Pictures were included in the center of the book in a photo-album/scrapbook style, which I found repeatedly useful in setting the scene of various phases sited throughout his piece. The chapters are set in a time line format, which makes it easy to keep straight who is doing what and when. Another key feature I appreciated was the manner to which he references his sources. It is especially essential to a researcher, as myself. After each paragraph he has used from another source he designates a number to associate the passage to a full listing in the rear of his book. He also included his reasons for writing such a thorough book over such an insightful, historical event which practically anyone will find interesting. For these reasons, I must give this book a 4.98 out of 5 since the details did impose trouble to my reading pleasure at first, yet after such a point entranced me until its completion.

Listen to book on tape. It was spell binding. My first book on tape but not my last. I know all about the "big 4", Doc Durant, Granville Dodge. The role Abe Lincoln played in Pacific railroad.

I'm not a reader, but I am a construction engineer and a railroad fan. I read this book cover to cover and enjoyed every minute! I had no previous idea of this story; all we usually get is the "Golden Spike" sound bite. It is truely an amazing accomplishment and proves again that it usually takes more than "by the book" nice guys to really get things done. A great story well told that celebrates the very hard work of the actual construction workers.

This book is really, really long. Particularly with the how the Union Pacific and central pacific paid for the materials with Gov. Bonds. It is page after page of ex: bonds were bought at 10 dollars sold at 100, 280 return, dividends blah, blah, blah. Every chapter have about 5 pages of this. It’s incredible. I’m at page 315 and have 75 more to go. kind of like the rail workers, it’s a slog.