A Machine to Move Ocean and Earth is a new history of frontiers, slavery, Civil War, and the search for profit and destiny on the Pacific Coast.
Winner of the 2025 Bancroft Prize
For distinguished works in American History
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James Tejani, A Machine to Move Ocean and Earth
This first of its kind book tells how America’s global gateway – the busiest container port in the Western hemisphere – came to be from mud and salt marsh. This is a tale of Mexican ranchers, imperialist politicians, US explorers, railroad speculators, and the prize they fought over – San Pedro Bay’s estuary.
The untold story of the Port of Los Angeles and its origins
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The Untold Story of the Port of Los Angeles and Its Origins
available At
For distinguished works in American History
Winner of the 2025 Bancroft Prize
James Tejani, A Machine to Move Ocean and Earth
History holds surprising answers.
The Port of Los Angeles is all around us. Our daily objects pass through it or through supply chains for which it is the archetype. Items include apparel, cars, furniture, electronics, green technologies, medical supplies, plastics, animal feed, and more. Yet the story begins in the 1850s with imperial dreams and daring individuals.
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A deeply researched narrative of the United States' expansion and rise as a global power
Where Do Our Things Come From?
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Photo credit: Jorge Villalba. RF, Getty Images