A Thread Across the Ocean
by John Steele Gordon · first published 2002
88% recommend13% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Narrative history of the first transatlantic telegraph cable, mixing technical detail with the stories of the people who built it; a gripping read for anyone curious about how modern communications began.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
"Today, in a world in which news flashes around the globe in an instant, time lags are inconceivable. In the mid-nineteenth century, however, they were a fact of life. The United States was remote from Europe, the center of world affairs, and communication was only as quick as the fastest ship could cross the Atlantic. Instant contact seemed as unlikely then as walking on the moon did in the 1950s.". "The Civil War had barely ended, however, when the Old and New Worlds had been united by the successful laying of a telegraph cable that spanned the Atlantic in 1866. A Thread Across the Ocean ch
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Unrelated, but if interested in ocean cables check out “A Thread Across the Ocean” by Steele. It’s the story of the first transatlantic cable. It’s a riveting read that is hard to put down. Full of interesting technical details intertwined with the stories of the characters involved.…
on “Google's Subsea Fiber Optics” ↗I recommend 'A Thread Across the Ocean: The Heroic Story of the Transatlantic Cable' by John Steele Gordon. [1] From description, "But in 1866, the Old and New Worlds were united by the successful laying of a cable across the Atlantic. John…
on “Submarine Cable Map 2014” ↗One of the most interesting books I read was mentioned here on HN early this year: A Thread Across the Ocean http://www.amazon.com/Thread-Across-Ocean-Heroic-Transatlant... It covers the beginnings of one of the most important historical legs that most of our amazing technology rests on.
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2015?” ↗If you want to go back to where it all began, I recommend "A Thread Across the Ocean" by John Steele Gordon: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/410958.A_Thread_Across_t...
on “Equiano, a subsea cable from Portugal to South Africa” ↗If anyone enjoys this topic, I would recommend reading "A Thread Across the Ocean: The Heroic Story of the Transatlantic Cable" by John Steele Gordon.
on “The Dunant subsea cable” ↗For an exciting and gripping story of the laying of the first Trans-Atlantic cable check out A Thread Across the Ocean, by John Steele Gordon. It is quite the page turner.
on “The Laying of the American Trans-Pacific Cable (1903)” ↗I really enjoyed the book > A Thread Across The Ocean by John Steele Gordon It's a historical account of the first transatlantic cable
on “Facebook building subsea cable that will encompass the world” ↗Thanks, I loved this article, time to re-read it again! For anyone who wants to know more about the early history of undersea cables, I also enjoyed ‘A Thread Across the Ocean’ by John Steele Gordon.
on “How a subsea cable is repaired” ↗I highly recommend reading A Thread Across the Ocean, a gripping tale of the development and laying of the first transatlantic cable. It’s quite a page turner.
on “The First Transatlantic Telegraph Cable Was a Bold, Beautiful Failure” ↗Probably the one already mentioned. I am currently reading A Thread Across the Ocean which was recommended on here as well.
on “Bringing back the golden days of Bell Labs” ↗'A Thread Across the Ocean: The Heroic Story of the Transatlantic Cable' chronicles the technical and business aspects of laying the first transatlantic telegraph cable. http://amzn.com/0060524464
on “Early telegraph routes were strikingly similar to today’s Internet pathways” ↗