PRAISE FOR CYRUS FIELD'S BIG DREAM |
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a 2019 Best
STEM Book, awarded by the National Science Teaching Association, in
cooperation with the Children's Book Council |
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| Kirkus Reviews: "The
relentless persistence of one man resulted in one of the greatest engineering
feats of the 19th century and the transformation of international communication.
… Making extensive use of primary sources, Cowan admiringly chronicles
how… Field endured delays and failed attempts, millions of dollars lost,
suspected sabotage, technological problems, and public accusations of fraud
and treason. Her well-paced, vivid account makes for a read that is at
times gripping. … An inspiring portrait
of a man with a dream and his steadfast determination to achieve it."
Read
the complete review. |
| Booklist: "Long before email and texting, Cyrus Field understood
the value of instant communication. When the paper merchant tycoon learned
in 1854 about an opportunity to invest in the first transatlantic telegraph
cable, which would reduce message delivery between Europe and North America
from weeks to minutes, he couldn’t resist. This detailed biography, filled
with archival reproductions, chronicles Field’s rise from a penniless paper
mill worker to one of the richest men in New York City. An interesting
chapter on his hiatus from his paper company describes an adventure through
South America with then budding artist Frederic Church. The bulk of the
text focuses on Field’s 12-year endeavor to create a telegraph company,
acquire investors, and procure 2,000 miles of cable, and the tension-filled
methods of laying it. Cowan relates the scientific and historical events
that shaped the process. While the topic seems most applicable to STEM
readers, there is much for young entrepreneurs to learn. The project failed
multiple times, but Field’s incessant determination
finally succeeded with a telegraph from Queen Victoria to President Andrew
Johnson." — Angela Leeper |
| Washington Post (one of 4 books reviewed in an article titled,
"Stories About Failure Show That It's Just a Pit Stop to Success," by Abby
McGanney Nolan): "In 1853, it took at least a week to relay a message between
the United States and Europe because they had to be transported on ships
over the Atlantic Ocean. A young entrepreneur named Cyrus Field tried to
reduce that transmission time to just minutes by laying a long tube at
the bottom of the ocean between Ireland and Newfoundland, the eastern tip
of North America. In this well-written and illustrated book, Cowan describes
the challenges Field had to overcome — seasickness, engineering mistakes,
destructive storms, financial pressures and even the Civil War — to achieve
this major communications breakthrough.
Field did not accept failure as an end result; he persisted until the job
was complete and two continents were connected." |
| School Library Connection: "Field's...diligence
and perseverance shine brightly, and these attributes make this story a
winner. (His) uncanny ability to continually turn failure
around and his constant quest for knowledge teach readers a valuable lesson
about not giving up. Hand this book to your kids who have big dreams so
they can experience first-hand the endless possibilities of making those
dreams come true." |
| ConnieWooldridge.com: "Cyrus Field didn’t know the first thing
about telegraphs when he retired from running a successful paper mill in
1853. But when his “big dream” took hold, there was no stopping him. He
made three attempts to lay a cable across the Atlantic (watching borrowed
funds disappear and the cheers of crowds turn into taunts) before a fourth
succeeded. Through photos, diagrams, and clear explanations, the author
describes the complicated business
of securing thousands of miles of cable, transferring it onto ships, and
reeling it out onto the ocean floor without snapping it. All the while,
the ability to transmit a signal – from one end of the cable to the other
– had to be maintained. Cowan uses the twisting and straining of the cable
to mirror the twists of history and politics, and the almost unbearable
strain on Field himself. Added to the rousing
good story is the copious back matter (author’s note,
timeline, source notes, selected bibliography, and a list of additional
books, videos, and websites to consult for further information). This is
nonfiction for young adult readers at its best." |
San Francisco Book Review: "Cyrus Field was a dreamer of very
big dreams. He was willing to take on tough tasks and build enterprises
that would better his family, his community, and, ultimately, the world.
By the mid-1800s, when only in his early 30s, Cyrus retired from running
a successful paper mill and was looking for his next big thing. His brother
introduced him to a man seeking backing for a telegraph venture stringing
cables across parts of Canada. This was the first step in a very long journey
for Cyrus, a journey with plenty of disappointment, failure, and even heartbreak
but one that spotlighted the resilience and tenacity it takes to change
history.
Mary Morton Cowan has found a fascinating subject for her latest book,
one youngsters will be drawn to by her choice of a bigger-than-life character,
excellent storytelling, and fine research. Her
writing is lively and succinct and will keep her audience turning pages
as she takes her readers to a very different time and place. This great
story that comes with tremendous back-matter (timeline, source notes, bibliography,
and resources for further study) and that shows how really good non-fiction
should be done. This is a winner!"Rosi
Hollinbeck,
reviewer. |
| VOYA: “Cowan offers a detailed look at the great fortitude of
an American pioneer who had an audacious vision. Field’s story is filled
with examples of the kind of determination that is always beneficial for
teens to experience in nonfiction…(and) provides insight about events that
many teens do not know about, making this a good addition for library collections
serving young adults.” |
| The Fairview Review: "anyone reading this book will be convinced
of [Cyrus's] determination to accomplish his goal. ... Written for grades
5-9, this is a detailed biography and a story of technology woven together
to make a fascinating true story." posted by Susanne Costner.
Read
the complete review. |
| Youth Services Book Review: "The first transatlantic cable was
laid at great personal and financial sacrifice of one particular man: Cyrus
Field. Prior to this, the longest cable in existence was only 100 miles,
but Field’s cable would have to be over 2000 miles long and at the bottom
of the ocean! This incredible feat of human ingenuity despite significant,
repeated obstacles is the subject of this dense historical nonfiction book.
It took as long as two weeks for messages to travel from Europe to America
prior to the cable being successfully laid in 1866; after the cable, messages
could be transmitted in mere minutes. Field sacrificed his own personal
fortune, countless months with his large family, as well as his health
to make his dream of instant communication come to fruition. ... this is
an excellent work of nonfiction for youth with multiple paintings, photographs
and images of primary sources. Each chapter begins with a relevant quote
from Cyrus Field that sets the stage for the information to come. Cowan
draws on primary sources such as letters, diaries and newspapers, as well
as Field’s daughter’s biography of her famous father. Includes a timeline,
selected biography, index and a table of contents. This book is sure to
ignite the imagination of readers to the power of perseverance and the
value of dreaming big." |
| Stacked Books: "Mary Morton Cowan brilliantly captures Cyrus’s
life and his steadfast determination to achieve his dream." |
| A Book and a Hug: "In this nonfiction middle-grade title, award-winning
author Mary Morton Cowan explores the extraordinary achievement of Cyrus
Field and one of the greatest engineering feats of the 19th century: laying
a transatlantic telegraph cable to create instant communication between
two continents." |
| Oregon Coast Youth Book Preview Center: "Almost one and a half
centuries before the world-wide popularity of the internet, messages from
one continent to another had to be relayed by ship, a time-consuming process.
In the middle of the 19th century, a wealthy New Yorker met a visionary
Englishman who convinced the businessman to invest in his dream of a telegraph
cable laid on the ocean floor. Part of the book describes Field’s childhood
and incessant drive during his adulthood; the remainder details continuing
failures of the project as workers and leaders of the attempt made one
mistake after another until success after ten years. Blue-tinged sepia
diagrams, paintings, and vintage photographs add to the information presenting
in an inviting layout. ... The illustrations and accessible writing make
the book an inviting read." |
| Redeemed Reader: "Who would have thought a paper manufacturer
would not only conceive of an impossible project (which he knew almost
nothing about) - but actually see it through? ...anyone fascinated with
how things work will be both intrigued and inspired by this American success
story." Read
the entire review. |
S. Costner, Amazon customer: "As the
author mentions in the epilogue, 'Telegraph cables played an important
role in world communication for more than a century. Eventually, radio,
telephone cables, satellites, fiber-optic cables, and wireless networks
made telegraph cables obsolete.' (p.188) It may be very hard for readers
today to understand Cyrus Field's determination to lay the first transatlantic
telegraph cable, or how many others he was able to convince of the necessity
- and to invest large sums of money to make it happen. But anyone reading
this book will be convinced of his determination to accomplish his goal.
"The book presents all the events in chronological
order, beginning with the first meeting where Field heard about the possibility
and covering the twelve years it took to successfully connect the United
States with Europe with a telegraph cable. The various investors, politicians,
and scientists and the roles they played are also discussed, but Cyrus
is the main character in this drama. Details of his childhood, family,
and other business ventures are woven into the background to complete the
portrait of this determined man.
"Illustrations show the ships and equipment used,
reproductions of telegrams, photos from the time period, even diagrams
of the ship's layout. There are numerous quotes from Cyrus and contemporaries,
newspaper and magazine coverage, and even songs written about the attempts.
Back matter includes an author's note, source notes, timeline, index, connections
to make (books videos, and websites on the topic), and a selected bibliography.
"Written for grades 5-9, this is a detailed biography
and a story of technology woven together to make a fascinating true story." |
| Cumberland Regional HS Media Center, Bridgton NJ: "Mary Morton
Cowan brilliantly captures Cyrus’s life and his steadfast determination
to achieve his dream." . |
| Catholic Library World: "Cyrus Field’s Big Dream presents a
thorough telling of the laying of the first transatlantic telegraph cable
(attempts ran from 1856 to 1866). It provides a detailed background on
Cyrus Field’s childhood, family life, education, and his innate organizational
skills. … Biographical details of his life illustrate Field’s strong ethics
of honesty and hard work, as well as his fortitude, perseverance, and commitment
to peace through communication." — Jane Braun, reviewer. Read
the entire review. |
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