Transportation and the American People

"A tour de force penned by prolific historian H. Roger Grant, this lively book explores the love/hate relationship between thetraveling public and modes of transportation from eighteenth century stagecoaches to supersonic aircraft. Whether on a steamboat or an intercity bus, fickle travelers demanded fasterschedules, enhanced comfort, greater safety, and lower fares. A splendid read!"—Keith Bryant, author of History of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway

"H. Roger Grant has devoted a lifetime to the study of American transportation. This overview history draws on his vast knowledge of the topic, and his coverage is both informative and entertaining. Though he himself is a master of technical details, he offers readers a lucid distillation of his knowledge, which he skillfully enlivens with appropriate quotations from original documents and first-hand observers. This is social history at its finest."—Carlos Schwantes, author of Just One Restless Rider: Reflections on Trains and Travel

"Americans are the most mobile people ever, and their story needs telling for a popular audience. Roger Grant offers a comprehensive survey from stagecoaches to canals, inland steamboats, railroads, automobiles, and airlines. Two things haven't changed: Travel can be a hassle, and travel can be a thrill. Grant tells the story with hard facts and engaging anecdotes. "—Peter A. Hansen, editor of Railroad History

"Transportation and the American People offers a rich and colorful account of the many ways that people have moved from place to place over the past two hundred years. From stagecoaches and steamboats to canal packets, railroads, buses, and aircraft, Roger Grant chronicles the shared experiences of those who have enjoyed – or endured – their journey. No other book so effectively describes what it was like to move from here to there. Informative and a delight to read."—Albert Churella, author of The Pennsylvania Railroad: Building an Empire

"This is an outstanding contribution to transportation history, one that is genuinely needed to both enrich and expose the core scholarly resources available in the field. Especially noteworthy is the attention to previously neglected topics: stagecoaches, paddle boats, canal transport, and buses, making this work a unique source for the study of transportation in the US."—Choice