{"product_id":"the-last-spike-9780385658416","title":"The Last Spike","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the four years between 1881 and 1885, Canada was forged into one nation by the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway. \u003ci\u003eThe Last Spike\u003c\/i\u003e reconstructs the incredible story of how some 2,000 miles of steel crossed the continent in just five years — exactly half the time stipulated in the contract. Pierre Berton recreates the adventures that were part of this vast undertaking: the railway on the brink of bankruptcy, with one hour between it and ruin; the extraordinary land boom of Winnipeg in 1881-1882; and the epic tale of how William Van Horne rushed 3,000 soldiers over a half-finished railway to quell the Riel Rebellion.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDominating the whole saga are the men who made it all possible — a host of astonishing characters: Van Horne, the powerhouse behind the vision of a transcontinental railroad; Rogers, the eccentric surveyor; Onderdonk, the cool New Yorker; Stephen, the most emotional of businessmen; Father Lacombe, the black-robed voyageur; Sam Steele, of the","brand":"Random House USA Inc","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49525111095639,"sku":"9780385658416","price":15.26,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780385658416.jpg?v=1731859267","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/the-last-spike-9780385658416","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}