Historian Simon Winchester tackles the creation and evolution of his adopted country in an overview of the known and unknown who made important advancements possible. Many of those featured in this book are not names you learned in history classes although the well-known are also there. He begins with the Louisiana Purchase and Lewis & Clark expedition, through the building of the Erie Canal and other important waterways, the westward migration, the building of the railroad, the industrial age, and ends with the development of the Internet. Because of a suggestion by his mother-in-law, the sections are loosely connected to the Chinese five elements: wood, earth, water, fire, and metal. I listened to the audiobook which was read by the author. However, this probably was not the best way to experience this book as there was no access to the maps and illustrations.
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