The Great Bridge

The Epic Story of the Building of the Brooklyn Bridge

By: David McCullough

Narrated by: Edward Herrmann

Length: 10 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

First published in 1972, The Great Bridge is the classic account of one of the greatest engineering feats of all time: the building of the Brooklyn Bridge.

This monumental audiobook, which presents extended unabridged passages from the book, brings back a heroic vision of the America we once had. It is the enthralling story of one of the greatest events during the Age of Optimism, a period when Americans were convinced that all great things were possible.

In the years around 1870, the concept of building a great bridge to span the East River between the cities of Manhattan and Brooklyn required a vision and determination comparable to that which went into the building of the pyramids. Throughout the fourteen years of the bridge's construction, the odds against its successful completion seemed staggering. Bodies were crushed and broken, lives were lost, political empires fell, and surges of public emotion constantly threatened the project. But this is not merely the saga of an engineering miracle: it is a sweeping narrative of the heroes and rascals who had a hand in either constructing or obstructing this great enterprise.

©1972 David McCullough (P)2004 Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Critic reviews

"The Great Bridge is a book so compelling and complete as to be a literary monument....McCullough has written that sort of work which brings us to the human center of the past." (Los Angeles Times)

My favorite book by Mccullough!

After listening to this book I traveled to NYC for the sole purpose to visit the Brooklyn Bridge. Well .....and to eat at Katz Deli

I just ish NYC had a better musuem in honor of this incredible bridge.

The Great Bridge

Enjoyed the book, but would've preferred more about the building of the bridge and less about the principals involved.

Facsinating Stuff!

Yes there is much talk of NYC politics, and it does go into painstaking detail at times. This is all part of the building of The Great East River Bridge. This is a story of great proprtions, and of engineering at a time when talk of such a bridge was akin to science fiction today. The Brooklyn Bridge still stands tall today, and is excellent shape after almost 125 years of service. If you're even thinking of listening to this one, i say do it.

Made me want to go to New York

First off, Edward Herman could read the phone book and it would sound good. This was a well researched history. Fascinating story. Intriguing people woven together. Couldn't wait to listen to the whole book. My test is whether I would listen to it again. I would!

A learnig experience

David McCullough should write all of the history books for our kids to read in school. I can't imagine the amount of research he does that goes into this book. If you want to learn about American History David McCullough is required reading. Makes you want to go back to school and major in history.

Timeless

Fascinating history of a functional piece of art!!! She is still beautiful at ~130 years old.

DONT YOU DARE MISS THIS ONE!

Lordy! What a story! Ive listened to this at least three times and after more than 800 audible books this still holds its place in the top 10. An exceptional true story with amazing characters.
The one troubling thing is that I was SURE I read the unabridged version of this, and after looking at my other Mccullough titles I found this same troubling scenario... abridged in my library when I was sure I had the unabridged version. John adams was the first case of this I found. I would be interested if anyone else has noticed this very worrisome condition.

well worth a listen

If you could sum up The Great Bridge in three words, what would they be?

Much to appreciate

What other book might you compare The Great Bridge to and why?

The canal builders by Julie Greene, as this too is an engineering triumph, but we found the Great Bridge more compelling

Which character – as performed by Edward Herrmann – was your favorite?

N/A

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Certainly not laugh

Any additional comments?

Its a wonder that this structure was built. It is a tribute to the workforce and a downer for the political aspects, which was not a surprise.

Too Much Detail

I usually like all the detail that David gives us in his books, but this one was too much for me. After several chapters, I realized I wasn't paying attention any longer, and I stopped.

I clicked too fast on the ABRIDGED version

Any additional comments?

I love the story of the bridge and I plan to buy the unabridged version.