Reviewed with Martin W. Sandler's Riding the Rails in the USA .Gr. 4-6. From the Transportation in America series, these volumes present the history and influence of horses and trains on American life. In Galloping, Sandler discusses varied topics: the Plains Indians' lives after the introduction of horses to America, the need for horses to pull wagons and coaches across primitive turnpikes in the East and along the westward trails, and the use of horses for city transportation, from early omnibuses to modern-day mounted police. Riding presents a more straightforward story, following the development of railroads in America from 1825 to the present and their role in everything from westward expansion to racial segregation. As in many overviews, the writing tends to be bland, but Sandler breaks into more interesting passages with his explanation of topics such as the "right side" and "wrong side" of the tracks. Reproduced in color, the many well-captioned photographs, documents, and prints from various periods are attractive and informative illustrations for the texts. A time line, a bibliography, and a list of places to visit round out each presentation. Carolyn Phelan
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Book Description
A fascinating look at the horse-powered development of America up through the rodeos and mounted police of today.
About the Author
Martin W. Sandler is the author of over twenty-six books on a variety of subjects. An award-winning television producer as well, he was the writer and executive producer of the highly-acclaimed PBS television program Excellence in the Public Sector.
