The Men Who United the States: America's Explorers, Inventors, Eccentrics and Mavericks, and the Creation of One Nation, Indivisible

"Simon Winchester never disappoints, and "The Men Who United the States" is a lively and surprising account of how this sprawling piece of geography became a nation. This is America from the ground up. Inspiring and engaging."--Tom Brokaw

"Winchester provides surprising insights into our social history, further enriching his narrative with accounts of his personal odysseys around the country. The results are highly recommended for public and school libraries and all readers looking for new and stimulating perspectives on the history of America."--Library Journal

"Vivid, valuable. ... An extraordinary, propulsive tale."--Wall Street Journal

"[M]esmerizing and fascinating... Mr. Winchester is a master storyteller, and all the individuals, places, and events that he passionately writes about come to life in exquisite detail."--New York Journal of Books

"Winchester has found a thematic way to tell this familiar story so it seems fresh and informative, even fascinating."--St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"What makes this book so enjoyable is that he ties the development of these advances to some brilliant but idiosyncratic personalities."--BookPage

"A most genial storyteller"--Las Vegas Weekly

"[I]nformative and absorbing"--The Oregonian (Portland)

"He ... freshens U.S. history by refusing to tell it through the usual suspects."--Seattle Times

"Entertaining. ... A pleasure."--New York Times Book Review