The Roads That Built America: The Incredible Story of the U.S. Interstate System [Paperback]

Dan McNichol (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 31, 2005

The year 2006 celebrates the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Interstate System, the most incredible road system in the world. Created by Dwight D. Eisenhower, whose WW II experiences taught him the necessity of a superhighway for military transport and evacuation in wartime, today's Interstate System is what connects our coasts and our borders, our cities and small towns. It's made possible our suburban lifestyle and caused the vast proliferation of businesses from HoJos to Holiday Inns. And if you order something online, most likely it's a truck barreling along an interstate that gets the product to your door. Written by bestselling author Dan McNichol, The Roads that Built America is the fascinating story of the largest engineering project the world has ever known.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Sterling (December 31, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402734689
• ISBN-13: 978-1402734687
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #195,941 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars good value book, January 20, 2006

By 

Thomas P. Mcauliffe (Michigan) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Roads That Built America: The Incredible Story of the U.S. Interstate System (Paperback)

A high quality printing, on quality paper,with lots of interesting pictures,and a fairly complete general history of the interstates from their conception and idea on into the near future of these roads,more or less a coffeetable book in some ways but a very affordable price.Quite a bit of information within it's 200 some pages.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good starting point..., June 27, 2007

By 

Joseph R. Butchko "JoeyB" (Temple, PA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Roads That Built America: The Incredible Story of the U.S. Interstate System (Paperback)

I found this book to be a comprehensive accounting of the developement of our highway system beginning with our very first national road and going thru to Boston's big dig. The book doesn't get bogged down with details, and has lots of good pictures. If you want a lot of information in a hurry, you'll enjoy this book.

I've read several books on this subject, and this one is like the others in one regard: I'd enjoy reading more about the actual construction details- the unforseen problems, the mishaps and mistakes, the million other events that occur between groundbreaking and ribbon-cutting. Nonetheless, a good book, I enjoyed it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Surprise Your Friends with Highway Trivia!, April 19, 2007

By 

L. Dunkelman "larrydunk" (White Plains, NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Roads That Built America: The Incredible Story of the U.S. Interstate System (Paperback)

Clearly this topic will not be of interest to everybody but for those with an interest in history and the often surprising reasons behind the highway system in the U.S., this book is a joy. You will astound your friends with trivia! How many of them know that Maryland contains the most-expensive (per toll mile) interstate in the Country? (How many of your friends might care, is another story).

Altough it seems to be written in high-school textbook prose, the chapters are well organzined, the photos are wonderful and the format lends itself to the coffee table. It can be read in almost any order, a chapter at at time or even a sidebar at a time.

I now have an appreciation for the engineering marvel that Americans take for granted every day.