by Simon Winchester (Author)

"Simon Winchester never disappoints, and The Men Who United the States is a lively and surprising account of how this sprawling piece of geography became a nation. This is America from the ground up. Inspiring and engaging." --Tom Brokaw

Simon Winchester, acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of Atlantic and The Professor and the Madman, delivers his first book about America: a fascinating popular history that illuminates the men who toiled fearlessly to discover, connect, and bond the citizenry and geography of the U.S.A. from its beginnings.

How did America become "one nation, indivisible"? What unified a growing number of disparate states into the modern country we recognize today? To answer these questions, Winchester follows in the footsteps of America's most essential explorers, thinkers, and innovators, such as Lewis and Clark and the leaders of the Great Surveys; the builders of the first transcontinental telegraph and the powerful civil engineer behind the Interstate Highway System. He treks vast swaths of territory, from Pittsburgh to Portland, Rochester to San Francisco, Seattle to Anchorage, introducing the fascinating people who played a pivotal role in creating today's United States.

Throughout, he ponders whether the historic work of uniting the States has succeeded, and to what degree. Featuring 32 illustrations throughout the text, The Men Who United the States is a fresh look at the way in which the most powerful nation on earth came together.

Winchester reveals the five surprising elements that forged a nation:

• Nation Building Through Technology: Structured around the five classical elements--Wood, Earth, Water, Fire, and Metal--this story shows how physical connections created a country.
• The American Frontier: Follow in the footsteps of essential explorers and innovators, from Lewis and Clark charting the wilderness to the engineers who laid the first transcontinental telegraph.
• US Westward Expansion: Discover how the land was mapped, divided, and distributed after the Louisiana Purchase, paving the way for millions and fulfilling the promise of the West.
• A Historian's Personal Journey: From the bestselling author of Atlantic, this deeply researched narrative is also a tribute to his own path to becoming an American citizen.

Front Jacket

New York Times bestselling author Simon Winchester follows the footsteps of America's most crucial innovators, thinkers, and explorers, from Lewis and Clark and the leaders of the Great Surveys of the West to the builders of the transcontinental railroad and the great highway systems to show how these daring men from three centuries left their mark on America's natural landscapes through courage, ingenuity, and hard work. Winchester brings together the breathtaking achievements of those American pioneers who helped to forge and unify the new nation, and who toiled fearlessly to bond the citizens and the geography of the United States from its very beginnings. This sweeping narrative is an unforgettable journey of unprecedented scope across time and open spaces, providing a new lens through which to view American history, led by one of our most gifted writers.

--The Oregonian (Portland)

Back Jacket

New York Times bestselling author Simon Winchester follows the footsteps of America's most crucial innovators, thinkers, and explorers, from Lewis and Clark and the leaders of the Great Surveys of the West to the builders of the transcontinental railroad and the great highway systems to show how these daring men from three centuries left their mark on America's natural landscapes through courage, ingenuity, and hard work. Winchester brings together the breathtaking achievements of those American pioneers who helped to forge and unify the new nation, and who toiled fearlessly to bond the citizens and the geography of the United States from its very beginnings. This sweeping narrative is an unforgettable journey of unprecedented scope across time and open spaces, providing a new lens through which to view American history, led by one of our most gifted writers.