Maury Klein Books

Focusing on the Louisville & Nashville Railroad's significant role in southern rail development after the Civil War, the book chronicles its resilience through major historical events, including two world wars, the Great Depression, and the devastating Ohio River flood of 1937. Renowned historian Maury Klein's work, originally published in 1972, is now reissued with a new introduction that reflects on the railroad's evolution over the past three decades, making it an essential read for railroad enthusiasts and history buffs alike.

The colossal scale of World War II required a mobilization effort greater than anything attempted in all of the world's history. The United States had to fight a war across two oceans and three continents--and to do so, it had to build and equip a military that was all but nonexistent before the war began. Never in the nation's history did it have to create, outfit, transport, and supply huge armies, navies, and air forces on so many distant and disparate fronts. The Axis powers might have fielded better-trained soldiers, better weapons, and better tanks and aircraft, but they could not match American productivity. The United States buried its enemies in aircraft, ships, tanks, and guns; in this sense, American industry and American workers, won World War II. The scale of the effort was titanic, and the result historic. Not only did it determine the outcome of the war, but it transformed the American economy and society. Maury Klein's A Call to Arms is the definitive narrative history of this epic struggle--told by one of America's greatest historians of business and economics--and renders the transformation of America with a depth and vividness never available before.

Renowned for its illuminating insights and high-quality writing, this book stands out in the realm of Civil War scholarship. It offers a comprehensive exploration of significant events and themes, making it a valuable addition to understanding this pivotal period in American history. The acclaim from notable publications underscores its scholarly merit and importance in the field.

Focusing on the transformative period from 1870 to 1920, the book presents a fresh perspective on American business history, highlighting the emergence of big business. It explores the economic, social, and cultural dynamics that shaped the landscape of American enterprise during this pivotal era, offering insights into the influential figures and innovations that defined the time. This interpretation challenges conventional narratives, providing a deeper understanding of how these developments laid the groundwork for modern capitalism.

E. H. Harriman, a pivotal figure in the early twentieth-century American business landscape, symbolizes the railroad industry, akin to J. P. Morgan in banking and John D. Rockefeller in oil. This biography by Maury Klein is the first comprehensive study of Harriman in over seventy-five years, shedding light on his significant yet often overlooked impact on American industry and history. The work explores Harriman's life, achievements, and the legacy he left behind, providing valuable insights into his role in shaping the railroad sector.

The 1911 New York Giants stole an astonishing 347 bases, a record that still stands more than a century later. That alone makes them special in baseball history, but as Maury Klein relates in Stealing Games they also embodied a rapidly changing America on the cusp of a faster, more frenetic pace of life dominated by machines, technology, and urban culture. Baseball, too, was evolving from the dead-ball to the live-ball era--the cork-centered ball was introduced in 1910 and structurally changed not only the outcome of individual games but the way the game itself was played, requiring upgraded equipment, new rules, and new ways of adjudicating. Changing performance also changed the relationship between management and players. The Giants had two stars--the brilliant manager John McGraw and aging pitcher Christy Mathewson--and memorable characters such as Rube Marquard and Fred Snodgrass; yet their speed and tenacity led to three pennants in a row starting in 1911. Stealing Games gives a great team its due and underscores once more the rich connection between sports and culture.