A Thread Across the Ocean

By: John Steele Gordon

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 6 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

In a world in which news and information flashes around the globe in an instant, time lags are inconceivable. But they were a fact of life in the 19th century. One of those adept, impressively learned, sometimes impractical 19-century woodshed thinkers and tinkers, Cyrus Field, knew only a little of the hard science behind stringing a submarine telegraph cable that would link the financial markets of London and New York.

Field was not the first to conceive such a venture, but he was the first to act on the idea, writing to Samuel Morse and finding another ally in the naval surveyor and architect Matthew Fontaine Maury. With the limited sum of $1.5 million, Field and company eventually managed to make the transatlantic cable a reality, and even if its early iterations turned out to be duds, their work did in fact revolutionize communications and "laid down the foundations of what would become...a global village."

A Thread Across the Ocean is a satisfying book for the budding entrepreneur and general readers as well.

©2002 John Steele Gordon (P)2002 Books on Tape, Inc.

Critic reviews

"This is an appealing account...and an entertaining reminder of the storied past of expensive technology gambles." (Publishers Weekly)
"Gordon, a business historian, skillfully and briskly recounts the saga of the transatlantic telegraph project....Gordon's evocation of Field's pioneering spirit will fascinate tech-history buffs." (Booklist

As time basses it becomes more relevent

Comparing the last decades this book gains perspective. The comparison with moder technologe adds perspective.

Gripping and inspiring

Loved the presentation and story in this book. It had great insights even for businesses today. Loved it.

Good book

It was a great story but I found myself getting bored with all the issues they had on the ships. I know why it was necessary but just not what I enjoy.

OK book

This was a decent listen. It's a little brief, and could have been fleshed out more, but it's an interesting topic.

Good stuff.

Gordon provides a solid historical account of (to me) a sometimes overlooked, undertold story of a wildly ambitous endeavor. I was left with a new appreciation for this undertaking and 19th century communications in general.

Good book

I recommend this book if you enjoy history and perspective. Good narration, fascinating story and some drama.

great audiobook

on the surface you might question how such an event could be converted into an audiobook in an attempt to captivate the listener. On all fronts this book was very well executed, the narrator puts enough inflection and pace to maintain the listeners interest throughout. From the daring concept of the project through the main protagonists and on to the many testing circumstances there are no flat periods in this book at all.
I would heartily recommend this audiobook

Good, but a bit dry

I wish they went more in depth about the effect the cable had on the modern world

Good listen

interesting story, well read and entertaining