Wedding of the Waters: The Erie Canal and the Making of a Great Nation
3 journalers for this copy...
To be released as part of Biographies of Things Bookbox Feb. 2023.
Journal Entry 2 by 
haahaahaa98
at Biographies of Things, A Bookbox -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, February 21, 2023
haahaahaa98 at Biographies of Things, A Bookbox -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, February 21, 2023
Released 1 yr ago (2/21/2023 UTC) at Biographies of Things, A Bookbox -- Controlled Releases
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Released to the Biographies of Things Bookbox Feb. 2023.
Wedding of the Waters: The Erie Canal and the Making of a Great Nation by Peter L. Bernstein
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was skeptical of the force of the story initially, but I grew to appreciate the work that author Bernstein has done here in providing both a geologic / public works history, and the economic / political history that enabled the building of the Erie Canal. It was nice to read about engineering feats associated with the building of the canal, including the need to dig through much of the earth, to use specific types of limestone, the mechanics of how canal locks work in order to move ships against the flow of water.
DeWitt Clinton's role in pushing the canal forth as commissioner and as New York governor is well documented. The inner political finagling would normally not make for compelling reading, but in Bernstein's hands it is compelling enough.
A more recent rendering of a book like this would need to take into account those whose lives were affected for the worse, including the laborers (which was touched upon) and the Native Americans who were displaced as part of the expansion west.
Some amazing tidbits too - there was a huge celebration when the "waters" were finally "wedd[ed]" that lasted 8 days!
View all my reviews
Wedding of the Waters: The Erie Canal and the Making of a Great Nation by Peter L. BernsteinMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was skeptical of the force of the story initially, but I grew to appreciate the work that author Bernstein has done here in providing both a geologic / public works history, and the economic / political history that enabled the building of the Erie Canal. It was nice to read about engineering feats associated with the building of the canal, including the need to dig through much of the earth, to use specific types of limestone, the mechanics of how canal locks work in order to move ships against the flow of water.
DeWitt Clinton's role in pushing the canal forth as commissioner and as New York governor is well documented. The inner political finagling would normally not make for compelling reading, but in Bernstein's hands it is compelling enough.
A more recent rendering of a book like this would need to take into account those whose lives were affected for the worse, including the laborers (which was touched upon) and the Native Americans who were displaced as part of the expansion west.
Some amazing tidbits too - there was a huge celebration when the "waters" were finally "wedd[ed]" that lasted 8 days!
View all my reviews
I pulled this from the Biographies of Things bookbox today. I hope to read it or pass it along soon.
