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Nothing Like It In The World: The Men Who Built The Transcontinental Railroad 1863 - 1869 Audiobook

Nothing Like It In The World: The Men Who Built The Transcontinental Railroad 1863 - 1869 Audiobook, by Stephen E. Ambrose Play Audiobook Sample
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Read By: Jeffrey DeMunn Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio Listen Time: at 1.0x Speed 10.33 hours at 1.5x Speed 7.75 hours at 2.0x Speed Release Date: August 2000 Format: Unabridged Audiobook ISBN: 9780743551007

Quick Stats About this Audiobook

Total Audiobook Chapters:

19

Longest Chapter Length:

76:44 minutes

Shortest Chapter Length:

16:25 minutes

Average Chapter Length:

48:57 minutes

Audiobooks by this Author:

23

Publisher Description

In this account of an unprecedented feat of engineering, vision, and courage, Stephen E. Ambrose offers an historical successor to his universally acclaimed Undaunted Courage.

Nothing Like It in the World is the story of the men who built the transcontinental railroad. In Ambrose's hands, this enterprise comes to life.

The U.S. government pitted two companies -- the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific Railroads -- against each other in a race for funding, encouraging speed over caution. At its peak, the work force approached the size of Civil War armies, with as many as 15,000 workers on each line. The surveyors, the men who picked the route, living off buffalo, deer, and antelope.

In building a railroad, there is only one decisive spot -- the end of the track. Nothing like this great work had ever been seen in the world when the last spike, a golden one, was driven in Promontory Peak, Utah, in 1869, as the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific tracks were joined.

Ambrose writes with power and eloquence about the brave men -- the famous and the unheralded, ordinary men doing the extraordinary -- who accomplished the spectacular feat that made the continent into a nation.

Download and start listening now!

"Very interesting book on how the transcontinental rr was built. I learned a lot that I had never thought of before. I like to know the "hows" of some of history's big moments, which are usually only glossed over. I am glad I was not one of the guys swinging sledge hammers for years building the rr."

— Madelyn (4 out of 5 stars)

Quotes

  • “Richly readable...[Stephen Ambrose] bears the reader on of wonder and excitement.”

    — New York Times Book Review
  • “Climb aboard...this lively tale, a colorful, edifying story of US history...Ambrose is the bard of American accomplishment.”

    — New York Post
  • “Historian Stephen Ambrose has done it again...Ambrose should be read as much for his muscular prose and talent to get at the heart of the matter as for his research.”

    — USA Today
  • “This magnificent tale...is magnificently told.”

    — Time
  • “Drawing on diaries, memoirs, letters, telegrams, newspaper accounts, and other primary sources, Ambrose celebrates the railroad’s unsung heroes—the men who actually did the backbreaking work.”

    — Publishers Weekly
  • “DeMunn’s full-text reading is clear and well modulated. The book is chocked with piquant detail.”  

    — AudioFile

Awards

  • A #1 New York Times bestseller
  • A USA Today bestseller
  • A Time Magazine Best Book of the Year for Nonfiction

Nothing Like It In The World Listener Reviews

Overall Performance: 3.8857142857142857 out of 53.8857142857142857 out of 53.8857142857142857 out of 53.8857142857142857 out of 53.8857142857142857 out of 5 (3.89)
5 Stars: 11
4 Stars: 14
3 Stars: 6
2 Stars: 3
1 Stars: 1
Narration: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 (5.00)
5 Stars: 1
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Story: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 (5.00)
5 Stars: 1
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Write a Review
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Story Rating: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    — ted nutt, 2/19/2024
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Another great story by Stephen Ambrose. If you want to know how/who/where the railroads were built and joined east/west, then this is the book. "

    — Aaron, 2/20/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " so interesting!! But it might be for history nerds only. "

    — Stacy{s}, 2/16/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " I really enjoyed this book. I can't imagine there is any better one volume source on the building of the first transcontinental railroad. Very easy to read and very enjoyable. "

    — Andy, 2/9/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Stephen Ambrose does churn them out like butter but this is a good one. "

    — Eliza, 2/8/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Enjoyable, especially when it covers the feats of strength and organization required for tracklaying and tunnel digging. It would have been better if Ambrose did not frequently interrupt himself to tell us how important and amazing everything is. "

    — Nick, 2/4/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " I thought this book was okay. The building of the railroad was a monumental feat and I wanted to know more about it. There was a lot of information in this book, maybe too much and the book seemed to drag at some points because of it, especially on the chapters concerning the money that went into it. The other problem I had with it was that many, many people have said the author has gotten numerous facts wrong with this book. So the entire time I was reading the book I was wondering what was true and what wasn't. As a journalist myself, I have a big problem with that. THe good things about the book was learning more about the big four and Judah. I live very close (about two blocks away) from Judah St in San Francisco where an N-train takes me into the city at least 2-3 times a week. So that was cool learning about those guys. And Clement, who also has a street named after him in San Francisco. The book really made me want to take a trip to Lake Tahoe near Truckee and go to see all the railroad history there as well. I think this book is for history fans, but approach with caution. Not all of this may be true. "

    — Tom, 1/26/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " If you think that new technology, captialism and corruption is a new thing, check it out. A great story well told. "

    — Chuck, 1/19/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " An informative read but not as engaging as some other Ambrose books. "

    — Daniel, 12/3/2013
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " I read this book so that my dad and I could discuss it. I found it to be very boring and repetitive. My dad, on the other hand, loved it. "

    — Heather, 11/7/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " This book was not real entertaining but was an interesting account of the challenges to build a transcontinental railroad. Easy to read with lots of good detail. "

    — Dave, 10/15/2013

About Stephen E. Ambrose

Stephen E. Ambrose (1936–2002) was the author of several New York Times bestsellers, including Citizen Soldiers, Undaunted Courage, and D-Day, as well as biographies of Presidents Eisenhower and Nixon. He also founded the Eisenhower Center and was president of the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. His book, Band of Brothers, was the basis for the HBO miniseries. He was also a contributing editor for the Quarterly Journal of Military History, a member of the board of directors for American Rivers, and a member of the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Council Board.

About Jeffrey DeMunn

Jeffrey DeMunn is an American film, television, and stage actor. He graduated from Union College in 1969 and then spent two years at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre school in England. He is best known for his roles in several Frank Darabont films, including The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and The Majestic. His is also featured in numerous television roles, most recently in the adaptation of The Walking Dead comic book series. In addition to his film and television performances, DeMunn has lent his voice to several audio books, including The Colorado Kid, Dreamcatcher, and Letters for Emily