In The Race Underground, Doug Most, a deputy editor at the Boston Globe, chronicles the heated competition between Boston and New York to launch America's first subway system. Boston won, of course, in 1897, while New York's system came on line in 1904. Most crams plenty into his recounting of the years surrounding this race: engineering feats, corruption, accidents, political battles, and the clashing (and cooperation) of multiple colorful personalities. You can see the Monitor's full review of "The Race Underground" here.
