Ghosts of Gold Mountain

The Epic Story of the Chinese Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad

By: Gordon H. Chang

Narrated by: David Shih

Length: 9 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

A groundbreaking, breathtaking history of the Chinese workers who built the Transcontinental Railroad, helping to forge modern America only to disappear into the shadows of history until now.

From across the sea, they came by the thousands, escaping war and poverty in southern China to seek their fortunes in America. Converging on the enormous western worksite of the Transcontinental Railroad, the migrants spent years dynamiting tunnels through the snow-packed cliffs of the Sierra Nevada and laying tracks across the burning Utah desert. Their sweat and blood fueled the ascent of an interlinked, industrial United States. But those of them who survived this perilous effort would suffer a different kind of death - a historical one, as they were pushed first to the margins of American life and then to the fringes of public memory.

In this groundbreaking account, award-winning scholar Gordon H. Chang draws on unprecedented research to recover the Chinese railroad workers' stories and celebrate their role in remaking America. An invaluable correction of a great historical injustice, The Ghosts of Gold Mountain returns these "silent spikes" to their rightful place in our national saga.

©2019 Gordon H. Chang (P)2019 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Fascinating history of the Chinese rail workers

I enjoyed this story very much! The writer gives a colorful account of early Chinese immigrants who built the rail road between Sacramento and Utah. The narrator had an annoying and frequent habit of making awkward pauses to emphasize quotes, translations or descriptions.

A long ignored tale

This is yet another piece of history that has been swept under the rug because it did not reinforce the myth of white supremacy. In short, a transcontinental railroad was the next step in linking the country together but white men refused because of the massive hardship involved so Chinese laborers were brought across the Pacific. Through their extraordinary efforts and skills it was successfully completed.

Tons of information but dry

I suppose I came into this expecting more. After re-listening to another audio book about the men that basically made that project happen. I wanted more and Gordon delivered so much information. I hoped for it to be more in a story mode as to be entertaining.

Important story to be told and to be heard.

Most interesting account of Chinese history in America perhaps especially to students of the Central Pacific Railroad’s efforts in building the first transcontinental railroad westward.

Proper History

Not only does the author provide a narration of events comprising the Chinese workers’ roles in building the railroads, he also includes sourcing details to explain how we know what we know, and how the gaps are filled in.

Very inspiring, educational, and enlightening!

We had no idea the details, sacrifice, and intensity of the involvement of these Men towards the advancement of our nation connecting the East to the West. Their dedication to the traditions of how their culture defines them has greatly impacted our history. We cannot believe their dedication under the intensity of such suffering and ungrateful treatment. This story starts out slowly. Stick with it as it begins to unfold an incredible story that you will truly appreciate.

Very well done history of the Railroad Chinese

I found this book historically interesting, I have been interested in the Transcontinental Railroad since I was a kid. Living in Utah were the Rails joined helps. This book is not much on story, but fu of interesting facts about how difficult it was to build the Railroad. If you want a perspective of the Chinese this book is for you.

Very important history

Very grateful that this history is being recorded and shared in such an elegant and substantial manner

One of the best books about Chinese American

It perhaps is never easy to write a piece of history about a group of people; let alone a marginalized group who left very little literal memories either by themselves nor by their contemporaries. This book is amazing that, through the mist of time, the author brought back so many faces of individuals: maybe none of their faces are clear but it was very moving nevertheless.
As a Chinese Immigrant myself, too often I felt history books about Asian Americans are just pages after pages of simple words such as racism, discrimination, injustice, Asian hate. I often wonder whether my posterity May one day suspect we all suffer some kinds of mental disorder that we paid so much, gave up so much, to uplift our root and come to this country. Thus I am very grateful to this book: that it is not only a memory of hardship Chinese endured, it is also a description of how Chinese immigrants contributed and became part of America and American history.

Outstanding

This book has been an amazing companion as I have been working through the old images from the construction of the Central Pacific Railroad. Don’t let the disclaimers toward the beginning about the scarcity of direct accounts dissuade you. The author does a tremendous job with the material available of providing insight into the experience of the railroad Chinese. I sincerely hope some day journals from workers are found and published, but in the meantime this fills so much of the gap.