The Men Who Built America books

November 24, 2012 1:14 PM

I've been watching The Men Who Built America. Please recommend interesting books on the people covered in that series or other influential people from that time period. Thanks.
posted by rastapasta to education (3 answers total)

American Colossus
posted by djb at 2:10 PM on November 24, 2012

The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt by T.J. Stiles won both the Pulitzer and the National Book Award. Stiles is amazing--a beautiful writer but also a deep researcher who understands economic history.

Stiles was one of the talking heads for The Men Who Built America but he did not much like the show.
posted by LarryC at 5:44 PM on November 24, 2012 [1 favorite]

I'm not sure about the time period of that show, but if it includes the era of Robert Moses, then you MUST read The Power Broker.
posted by oceanjesse at 5:39 AM on November 25, 2012 [1 favorite]