Blood, Iron, and Gold cover art

Blood, Iron, and Gold

How the Railways Transformed the World

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Blood, Iron, and Gold

By: Christian Wolmar
Narrated by: Michael Tudor Barnes
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About this listen

Blood, Iron, and Gold reveals the huge impact of the railways as they spread rapidly across the world, linking cities that had hitherto been isolated, stimulating both economic growth and social change on an unprecedented scale. From Panama to the Punjab, Christian Wolmar describes the vision and determination of the pioneers who developed railways that would one day span continents, as well as the labour of the navvies who built this global network.

Wolmar shows how cultures were enriched – and destroyed – by the unrelenting construction and how they had a vital role in civil conflict, as well as in two world wars. Indeed, the global expansion of the railways was key to the spread of modernity and the making of the modern world.

©2009 Christian Wolmar (P)2010 Soundings Politics & Government United States World War Railroad Imperialism Transportation Military

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Critic reviews

"[A] fascinating study not just of a transportation system, but of the Promethean spirit of the modern age." ( Publishers Weekly)
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The author does a wonderful job here of writing up the history of all the world's railways in a single volume. Thats a big undertaking and of course not every branch line in Patagonia is described in detail. But for non-Patagonians the coverage and selection of material seems admirable, remarkable even given its scope. Wolmar has a lively personal style done full justice by the reader, Tudor Barnes. Railways are a hugely important part of world history over the past two centuries and as the author reminds, rumours of their demise are certainly exaggerated. Picturesque and full of surprises, this is a great book for anyone who appreciates railways past & present.

Excellent

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This is a fascinating book and gives a real insight into the social and political impact of the railways, but maybe it suffers a little from being too broad and too fond of a travelogue style.



The author's claim that railways were the most important invention of the second millennium is possibly too great a reach - after all the railways came as a consequence of the industrial revolution - but he certainly makes a very strong case for their fundamental impact on all aspects of human society. It is just, through his desire to cover all the continents in a similar depth and to come right up to the present he misses an opportunity to give us a deeper perspective.



Well voiced and easy to listen to.

Fascinating, but maybe too broad

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It passed the time, in part on a £90 return journey from London to Swansea. (The author didn't mention rip off fares once!)

I'd say it's lacking in good stories and social history. But if you're interested in a broad summary of how railways spread across the globe, this will do the job nicely.

Not bad, but somewhat lacking in flair

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