The Artificial River - by Carol Sheriff (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The story of the Eric Canal is the story of industrial and economic progress between the War of 1812 and the Civil War. The Artificial River reveals the human dimension of the story of the Erie Canal. Carol Sheriff's extensive, innovative archival research shows the varied responses of ordinary people-farmers, businessmen, government officials, tourists, workers-to this major environmental, social, and cultural transformation in the early life of the Republic.

Winner of Best Manuscript Award from the New York State Historical Association

"The Artificial River is deeply researched, its arguments are both subtle and clear, and it is written with grace and an engagingly light touch. The book merits a wide readership." --Paul Johnson, The Journal of American History

From the Back Cover

The story of the Erie Canal is the story of industrial and economic progress between the War of 1812 and the Civil War. Carol Sheriff uses innovative archival research to document the varied responses of ordinary people to this major environmental, social, and cultural transformation in the early life of our Republic.

Review Quotes

"The Artificial River is deeply researched, its arguments are both subtle and clear, and it is written with grace and an engagingly light touch. The book merits a wide readership." --Paul Johnson, The Journal of American History

"A beautifully written and unpretentious book that reveals how little historians have known about something they have written so much about: the Ere Canal." --Richard White, University of Washington

"[Sheriff] renders the Erie Canal's history from a fresh point of view . . . the everyday lives of ordinary people who lived along the waterway." --Paul Grondahl, Albany Times Union

"Broadly conceived, imaginatively researched, incisively argued, and gracefully written." --Robert H. Wiebe, Northwestern University

"An excellent study of an important, all too often neglected period." --Lee Milazzo, The Dallas Morning News

About the Author

Carol Sheriff, a native of Bethesda, Maryland, received her B.A. from Wesleyan University and her Ph.D. from Yale University. She is assistant professor of history at the College of William and Mary. Her books include A People at War and A People and a Nation. She lives in Williamsburg, Virginia.