Author: John Steele Gordon

Publisher: Harper Perennial

Pub. in: October, 2005

ISBN: 0060505125

Pages: 496

Measurements: 8 x 5.1 x 1.2 inches

Origin of product: USA

Order code: BA00830

Other information: Reprint edition
ISBN-13: 978-0060505127

How did America become the unparalleled economic colossus of the modern world? John Steel Gordon puts it all together.

"The American economy in the first six decades after the adoption of the Constitution had proved one of the wonders of the world. The country's territory had more than tripled, and its population had increased eightfold." The economy, however, increased an unbelievable eighteen fold.

But this was nothing compared to the growth in the post-Civil War period. "Railroad mileage doubled in a mere eight years, while wheat production did likewise... And as the railroads grew and spread across the land, their suppliers and, increasingly, they're freight customers became larger and also became corporations."

And then there was steel. Once Andrew Carnegie learned of an English discovery, the Bessemer converter, to make steel in quantity, he set out to become a lowest-cost producer in the country. And so he did. By 1897, the United States was out producing Germany and Britain combined.

At the beginning of the 20th century, America had one third of the world's railroad mileage, 40% of its steel production and it was the largest exporter of agricultural products. Even on a per capita basis, Americans were way ahead of even Great Britain, the number two country.

And this was only the beginning as the 20th century truly became the American Century.

Forests have been cleared for all the books that have been written on American History. While a few stand out from the pack, it is harder to find one that is fresh, interesting, and informative. An Empire of Wealth is all of those things. Instead of being a military, political, or diplomatic history, John Steel Gordon has written an economic biography of the country. This book is full of struggle, wild success, bitter failure, dislocation from wrenching changes in the economy due to the rise of new technologies, and marshalling resources for war.

He begins with the resource rich, but hostile wilderness that the early explorers found. The British made the first permanent settlement at Jamestown in what is now Virginia. The settlers had come for gold, found mica that they mistook for gold ore, and only 38 of the 105 survived the first winter. They kept coming from England and they kept struggling until they began to grow and export tobacco. Mr. Gordon then takes us on a fast paced, and amazing journey through the nation's founding, the movement west, major wars, depressions, and the rise (and fall) of technologies such as steam, the railroads, machine supported agriculture, banking, and international trade. He ends the book with the horrible events on September 11, 2001.

Not only is this a fun read for anyone interested in American History, it would be a fine addition to the history readings for high school or college students. The book has a particularly nice bibliography in addition to the chapter notes.
- From quoting Craig Matteson and Arthur M. Moren

Target readers: People who are interested in American history and economy

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