About this item
A revelatory, entertaining account of the world's most indispensable mode of transportationTom Zoellner loves trains with a ferocious passion. In his new book he chronicles the innovation and sociological impact of the railway technology that changed the world, and could very well change it again.From the frigid trans-Siberian railroad to the antiquated Indian Railways to the futuristic MagLev trains, Zoellner offers a stirring story of man's relationship with trains. Zoellner examines both the mechanics of the rails and their engines and how they helped societies evolve. Not only do trains transport people and goods in an efficient manner, but they also reduce pollution and dependency upon oil. Zoellner also considers America's culture of ambivalence to mass transit, using the perpetually stalled line between Los Angeles and San Francisco as a case study in bureaucracy and public indifference.
About the Author
Tom Zoellner is an American author and journalist. He is the author of popular nonfiction books, described as "genre-defying," which take multidimensional views of their subject and show the descent of an influential object through history. These boosk have been praised as "dazzling" (Entertainment Weekly) , "mesmerizing" (Booklist) , and "enchanting" (New York Post) . He is an Associate Professor of English at Chapman University and lives in downtown Los Angeles.
