A Rich Man's War and a Poor Man's Fight...

While "The Last Dickens" is my favorite still in terms of showcasing Matthew Pearl's writing and genius, The Technologists comes very close. Here's his special talent: "intelligent thrillers" might describe his books...the fact is when you are done reading, you really *are* smarter!

The main characters were terrific, and all the more so because they are based on real people or combinations of real people. But he also graces the pages with seemingly minor but incredibly memorable minor characters.

I am an avid Civil War enthusiast and I think this is where the book really shines...it is set in 1868 but the shadows of the war are still present. He excellently portrays both the resentment, guilt, and opportunity from the rich man's war/poor man's fight. Characters include "substitutes" paid by the rich to take the place of favored sons in the ranks. One of the most touching moments in the book though is when of the characters who didn't fight in the war relates how he watched the wounded coming off the trains. While the prisoner commandant is perhaps too-reminiscent of Henry Wirz of Andersonville infamy, Matthew Pearl's choice of Smith Factory Prison - a real POW camp in Richmond - was a stroke of genius, not only for being novel and not well-worn but also because it allowed him the plot device of the factory machinery.

The disasters are not based in fact, but this is a thriller and Pearl is granted license to invent them...it is true though that shipwrecks, train accidents, and boiler explosions were common industrial accidents in the 19th century...I only wish he would have expressed better how horrible they could be, esp. boiler explosions...the real horror seemed placed in the "glass disaster," which seemed the least credible of the maniacal plots.

I would happily give this 4 1/2 stars and the only reason I am not giving it 5 is that I think the primary place of MIT in the education of scientists and engineers in the early history of the United States, and their place in putting scientific and engineering apparatus in the hands of students (rather than dry demonstrations in lecture rooms) is a bit overstated...From my own research and writing, I think West Point (United States Military Academy) has at least least some claim to this...the thought of chemistry and physics as the "new sciences" also seems a little out of place...still, the role of MIT in American history is solid, indeed.

I highly encourage people to also read his novella "The Professor's Assassin" as it gives clues to the progressive nature of Professor Rogers so that the female student and the African American building superintendent are in his nature.

And - to close this review - I quote my favorite retort from the film "Good Will Hunting" : "How Do You Like Them Apples?" It seems fitting enough because like GWH, this book often pits underdogs from MIT with Boston Brahmins and Matthew Pearl cleverly shows that Harvard has been training a$$-nozzles for centuries...but they get it in the end...and the beginning...and once or twice in the middle.

Well done AGAIN, Mr. Pearl! And we are left to wait for what comes next!