London Bridge in America Travis Elborough

Name: London Bridge in America By Travis Elborough
SKU: 9780099565765
Price: 13.69 AUD
Availability: InStock

London Bridge in America by Travis Elborough

Reviews:

$13.69

Condition - Very Good

Only 3 left

Very Good$13.69 Good$13.99

Summary

In 1968 the world's largest antique went to America. But how do you transport a 130-year-old bridge 3,000 miles? And why did Robert P McCulloch, a multimillionaire oil baron and chainsaw-manufacturing king, buy it? Why did he ship it to a waterless patch of the Arizonan desert? Did he even get the right bridge?

London Bridge in America Summary

London Bridge in America: The Tall Story of a Transatlantic Crossing by Travis Elborough

In 1968 the world's largest antique went to America.

But how do you transport a 130-year-old bridge 3,000 miles?

And why did Robert P. McCulloch, a multimillionaire oil baron and chainsaw-manufacturing king, buy it?

Why did he ship it to a waterless patch of the Arizonan desert?

Did he even get the right bridge?

To answer these questions, it's necessary to meet a peculiar cast.

Fleet Street shysters * Revolutionary Radicals * Frock-coated industrialists * Disneyland designers * Thames dockers * Guinness Book of Records officials * The odd Lord Mayor * Bridge-building priests * Gun-toting U.S. sheriffs * An Apache Indian or two

And a fraudster whose greatest trick was to convince the world he ever existed

Roll up, then, for the story of one of the strangest events in Anglo-American relations. Curious, clever and sharp, this is history to delight in.

London Bridge in America Reviews

As much a social history as the story of the bridge, this entertaining book is packed with facts but its light, sprightly tone makes bricks and mortar a source of human interest. -- Sally Morris * Daily Mail *
[Elborough] is a charming, wry companion, who wears his considerable learning lightly. -- Ian Sansom * Guardian *
Wonderfully detailed... A fitting testament to the folly and wonder of human endeavour. -- Claire Looby * Irish Times *
Elborough's book is a fascinating mix of social and architectural history, travelogue and pop culture, but it is his ability to bring to life the disparate and often eccentric characters involved in the story that stands out. -- Ian Critchley * Sunday Times *
An entertaining cultural historian of the Bill Bryson school...very interesting, and crammed with historical trivia. -- Helen Brown * Daily Telegraph *

About Travis Elborough

Travis Elborough, described as 'one of Britain's finest pop culture historians' by the Guardian, has been a freelance writer, author, broadcaster and cultural commentator for nearly two decades. His books include The Bus We Loved, London Bridge in America, and A Walk in the Park. Our History of the 20th Century: As Told in Diaries, Journals and Letters was published in 2017.

Additional information

Sku

GOR005448352

ISBN 13

9780099565765

ISBN 10

0099565765

Title

London Bridge in America: The Tall Story of a Transatlantic Crossing by Travis Elborough

Author

Travis Elborough

Condition

Used - Very Good

Binding type

Paperback

Publisher

Vintage Publishing

Year published

20140206

Number of pages

288

Prizes

N/A

Cover note

Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.

Note

This is a used book - there is no escaping the fact it has been read by someone else and it will show signs of wear and previous use. Overall we expect it to be in very good condition, but if you are not entirely satisfied please get in touch with us