joe_scales52's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent read and a great insight into Flagler’s significance to Florida.
sabaileyreads's review against another edition
5.0
my bookclub selection for the month - really enjoyable and informative - can't wait to drive that Overseas Highway with all of this new info in my brain. What a monumental undertaking the railroad was!
chelsea_not_chels's review against another edition
3.0
2021 reading challenge category: A past prompt; my selection is "A book mentioned in another book." This book was mentioned as one of the sources for [b:The Last Train to Key West|52777855|The Last Train to Key West (The Cuba Saga, #3)|Chanel Cleeton|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1572545317l/52777855._SX50_SY75_.jpg|73672680].
I have done the drive down the Florida Keys to Key West on the Overseas Highway, so this book intrigued me for that reason. I knew there had been a railroad--the station is still there in Key West and they have a touristy "Conch Train" that you can do a tour on that obviously plays on that history--but I didn't know much about it. After reading Chanel Cleeton's fictitious portrayal of the railroad and its demise, I wanted to read the nonfiction account.
Standiford is definitely a good writer, and his account of the building of the railroad is very detailed. Unfortunately, I felt a bit let down about the coverage of the demise. There's a bit of drama about the hurricane in the first chapter, but most of that is really more about Ernest Hemingway worrying about his boat, and then the rest of the destruction of the railroad is shoehorned into one chapter at the end, which was a bit disappointing. It was an engineering marvel that was destroyed abruptly, and it just felt like there was more that could have been said about that!
I have done the drive down the Florida Keys to Key West on the Overseas Highway, so this book intrigued me for that reason. I knew there had been a railroad--the station is still there in Key West and they have a touristy "Conch Train" that you can do a tour on that obviously plays on that history--but I didn't know much about it. After reading Chanel Cleeton's fictitious portrayal of the railroad and its demise, I wanted to read the nonfiction account.
Standiford is definitely a good writer, and his account of the building of the railroad is very detailed. Unfortunately, I felt a bit let down about the coverage of the demise. There's a bit of drama about the hurricane in the first chapter, but most of that is really more about Ernest Hemingway worrying about his boat, and then the rest of the destruction of the railroad is shoehorned into one chapter at the end, which was a bit disappointing. It was an engineering marvel that was destroyed abruptly, and it just felt like there was more that could have been said about that!
docvj89_gmail_com's review
4.0
I was especially interested in this book because I used to live in Daytona Beach and visited the city of Flagler occasionally. Henry Flagler was a very interesting (and rich) man. Unfortunately, his dream of the uses of a railroad to the Florida Keys was never realized.
The most interesting part of this book was the illustration of hurricane prediction technology in those days. They didn't have satellite prediction or hurricane hunters. The other very interesting part was how many times they rebuilt parts of the railroad after hurricanes came through. Each time, the railroad got stronger. But the final hurricane was more than anything could withstand.
I was amazed how many people don't realize that there used to be a railroad to the Florida Keys. I sure didn't before I read the book.
I most enjoyed the people stories in the book. The opening stories of Ernest Hemingway going to tie up his boat and the railroad engineer deciding to back the train down the track (while going to try to rescue people) so he could drive forward returning to Miami was fascinating.
The descriptions of the land and landmarks along the way through the keys was enlightening but didn't capture my interest as much as the people stories.
The most interesting part of this book was the illustration of hurricane prediction technology in those days. They didn't have satellite prediction or hurricane hunters. The other very interesting part was how many times they rebuilt parts of the railroad after hurricanes came through. Each time, the railroad got stronger. But the final hurricane was more than anything could withstand.
I was amazed how many people don't realize that there used to be a railroad to the Florida Keys. I sure didn't before I read the book.
I most enjoyed the people stories in the book. The opening stories of Ernest Hemingway going to tie up his boat and the railroad engineer deciding to back the train down the track (while going to try to rescue people) so he could drive forward returning to Miami was fascinating.
The descriptions of the land and landmarks along the way through the keys was enlightening but didn't capture my interest as much as the people stories.
mullinstreetzoo's review against another edition
5.0
Loved it. A great telling of an adventurous and thrilling enterprise.
jenwoosley's review against another edition
4.0
This was an interesting read. We seem to forget what a massive undertaking the construction of the overseas railroad was. I did, however, begin to doubt the validity of the book when the author described hurricane Andrew, specifically, that it felt to people in Coral Gables as little more than a bad overnight storm. While he is correct, the devastation was not as catastrophic as it was in places like Homestead and Cutler Ridge, it was far from just a strong storm. Unless, of course, I merely dreamed the night I spent on the University of Miami campus, directly across from the National Hurricane Center where they clocked winds at 150 before they lost their equipment on the roof. I suppose I must have imagined the non-stop swaying of the 3 story concrete block building that I was in. And I didn't see the car across the street that was now sitting on top of 2 other cars. I was born and raised in Florida and I had never experienced a simple storm such as that.
yooperann's review against another edition
3.0
I read this on the recommendation of a male friend, who is undoubtedly more interested in railroads and the golden age of capitalism than I am. But it's an amazing story I'd been totally unaware of, and the descriptions of hurricanes are more vivid than any photos I've ever seen.
coquina333's review against another edition
4.0
This was a good book, well written and very detailed in regards to the beginning of the Florida railroad and tourism. Did not know Henry Flagler had such impact.