LAST TRAIN TO PARADISE Henry Flagler and the Spectacular Rise and Fall of the Railroad That Crossed An Ocean

In 1904, Henry Flagler, an oil man made rich by his partnership with John D. Rockefeller, dreamed of building a railroad over 153 miles of open ocean from Florida's mainland to the island of Key West. The planning, financing, construction, and heartbreaking failures the enterprise faced are the substance of this story, which focuses on the unusual dedication of a great man to a plan. Richmond Hoxie's deep, resonant voice has a pleasant flow for nonfiction, making a pleasant companion with whom we face Flagler's doubt, disappointment, disaster, and debt. Our suspense is maintained to the end, as we wonder whether he will live to ride the railroad line he envisioned. J.A.H. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 03]