The Great BridgeThe Great Bridge
Score Classic
What it's about
The Brooklyn Bridge took fourteen years to build, from 1869 to 1883. Its designer, John Roebling, died of tetanus after an accident before construction began. His son, Washington Roebling, took over, until he was crippled by caisson disease, the bends, from working in the pressurized chambers beneath the river. He directed the rest of the work from his window, with his wife Emily as his messenger. David McCullough tells their story, and the city's, amid the corruption of Boss Tweed's New York.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Modern Library's list of the best nonfiction ever written. It was McCullough's breakthrough, and it's as gripping as a novel.
You'll love it if you liked
The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York
John Adams
TrumanGood to know
There's a fair amount of engineering detail, which is surprisingly fascinating.
By the numbers
- Readers86 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics59 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller8 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #78 of the 198 history books we rank
- #136 of the 762 classics we rank
- #432 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
More by David McCullough
TrumanJohn Adams
The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal 1870-1914
The Wright BrothersIf you like this, read next
Gone with the Wind
The Making of the Atomic Bomb
The Lord of the Rings
A Brief History of Time
Maus
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi GermanyExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Great Bridge worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Modern Library's list of the best nonfiction ever written. It ranks #432 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 79.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Great Bridge about?
The Brooklyn Bridge took fourteen years to build, from 1869 to 1883. Its designer, John Roebling, died of tetanus after an accident before construction began. His son, Washington Roebling, took over, until he was crippled by caisson disease, the bends, from working in the pressurized chambers beneath the river. He directed the rest of the work from his window, with his wife Emily as his messenger. David McCullough tells their story, and the city's, amid the corruption of Boss Tweed's New York.
How long does it take to read The Great Bridge?
About 15 hours (608 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Great Bridge?
If you liked it, try The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York by Robert Caro, John Adams by David McCullough or Truman by David McCullough.