The Hardest, Longest Race: Henry Ford and the Cross-Country Contest That Changed America

by Eric Moskowitz

From Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Eric Moskowitz comes the riveting story of the first true coast-to-coast automobile race in U.S. history, a fast-paced tale of the gritty and determined drivers who braved hostile terrain, mechanical failure, and, shockingly, sabotage, to take home the gold.

In 1909, America was home to 253 automakers, a landscape of visionaries, schemers, and would-be barons of the new century. But when playboy millionaire M. Robert Guggenheim announced an audacious “Ocean to Ocean” contest from New York City to the Seattle World’s Fair, only three companies were brassy enough to show up at the starting Acme, Ford, and Shawmut.

Oddsmakers favored the Acme and Itala, a pricy import also joining the race, while dismissing the pint-sized Ford — a homely little number called the Model T— and the long-shot Shawmut, struggling to survive after a factory fire. In fact, many didn’t believe any of the cars would reach Seattle at all, as they would need to forge a 4,106-mile course of mountain ranges, mud bogs, washed-out wagon bridges, and harrowing canyon trails, long before the era of asphalt highways, seatbelts, and service stations.

But Henry Ford was intent on proving that the Model T could go the distance and beat out the muscular luxury cars---and he didn’t plan to leave it to chance. Indeed, a little over three weeks after the race began, a Ford crossed the line hours ahead of the Shawmut.

Except that victory was a fraud.

The Hardest, Longest Race is a colorful tale of ambition and subterfuge, but it is also a love letter to America at the turn of the Twentieth Century. As a seeming people’s champion—a car for the masses—traverses the vast nation, Moskowitz brings to vivid life the diverse populace and landscape that it would soon transform.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Sports, Adventure, American History, 20th Century, Audiobook

360 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 2, 2026

Reviews

[Audrey]

In 1909, Guggenheim sponsored a coast-to-coast auto race from New York to Seattle, site of the year’s World Fair. Ford won — by cheating — and the “victory” propelled Ford to stardom in the industry. By the time they were exposed, it was too late to change their trajectory of dominating the industry.

The parts about car mechanics and stats didn’t particularly interest me, but overall it was interesting and well written. The journey was mostly on dirt roads that became mud when it rained. Most of the bridges were for trains, so they had to drive on the tracks or take a ferry if there was one. It was common to replace tires daily along with other repairs.



Language: Clean
Sexual Content: None
Violence/Gore: Injuries and illness mentioned; not graphic
Harm to Animals: None
Harm to Children: None
Other (Triggers): cheating (in race); loss of livelihood

[Wendy]

The ‘Hardest, Longest Race’ is a well-researched book about an automobile race from New York to Seattle in 1909 during the early years of the auto industry when no highways and few maps existed. The subtitle ‘Henry Ford and the Cross-Country Contest that Changed America’ is pure hyperbole. The book is not about Henry Ford, but about two stripped-down Model T’s and three luxury vehicles (Shawmut, Acme and Itala); their drivers and crew; the many local pilots the crews take on at various stops to guide them along the way and, of course, the many places they drive through or stop in order to check in, fuel, get parts, eat and sometimes sleep. There is plenty of interesting material, but after the beginning of the book, the story becomes mostly town after town, guide after guide and so quite repetitive with lots of facts but little color though lots of the material could have been more colorful (like the first crash, for example). Still, the book provides some interesting background of the early auto industry and America’s poor, virtually non-existent cross-country road network at the time as well as what the cities and towns of the day were like. The book is not as long as it may seem since the book really ends after the Afterword on page 288 rather than page 356 (and much sooner if you just want to know the race outcome since the rest is anticlimactic anyway) so it’s short enough to keep reading to see which car wins.

What really stands out is the weather and the Ford organization. By Kansas, a major storm dumps three inches of rain on the dirt roads and the crews and automobiles struggle through heavy clay mud all the way into Colorado. Because Ford is the only auto company with dealerships across the country, many of the Ford guides are Ford dealers or their employees. The Ford dealers want to win to get the favorable press coverage a victory will bring and they are willing to win by questionable means. The dirty tricks start with one dealer paying off a ferry to not cross a river after the Fords cross; bringing an armed guard to the only railroad bridge that crosses a river and insisting that a little-enforced Union Pacific rule requiring a permit to use the bridge be enforced after earlier obtaining the permit for the Ford, causing the Shawmut a 12-hour delay. The worst out-and-out cheating is when the second Ford Model T breaks a part and, instead of finding a replacement or fixing it as the rules require, a dealer bring a full engine replacement, in clear violation of the rules and giving it an extraordinarily unfair advantage over the rule-abiding Shawmut. There are also suspicions that on two occasions Ford drivers left their automobile while the vehicle was underway, another serious violation of the race rules.

[Peter Tillman]

WSJ gave this one a good review:
https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/book...
(Paywalled. As always, I'm happy to email a copy to non-subscribers)
Excerpt:
"Of the three leading cars, two were Model Ts entered by the Ford Motor Co., the other a Shawmut manufactured in Boston. Henry Ford’s minions left nothing to chance, cheating in ways large and small and leaving the winner in dispute.

Yet the Ocean to Ocean Race was something special: It pitted speed versus endurance in an age when roads—west of St. Louis, anyway—were often little more than wagon trails and the surface, after a good rain, turned to mud. ....

Eric Moskowitz tells this story in “The Hardest, Longest Race” with brisk prose that keeps our interest for the 4,106 miles to Seattle, where the World’s Fair was attracting crowds and where the race finished 22 days after President William Howard Taft pushed the start button."

To be published in early June 2026

[Kim Novak (The Reading Rx)]

I'm a Lincoln gal and really enjoyed this literal road-trip through time to ride along as the Ford Model T made history. Today, we think electric cars and self-driving autos are wild and cutting edge, but when you think about the earliest vehicles and what they were up against with innovation, emerging technology, and rudimentary (or even absent) infrastructure, you really get how visionary and disruptive they were to life as America knew it. This story was both well-researched and also highly entertaining as the competitors machinated and manipulated in a race cross-country. 1909 American geography and roadways serve as their own characters in a story that takes us down a very rutted memory lane of th epast.

I also took a listen to the audiobook and found the narrator to have a colorful voice that channeled some accents and linguistics of the time to add interest to the performance narration. An enjoyable listening experience!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

[Dawn Michelle]

This is a deeply researched, well-written book about an absolutely bat-sh*t crazy race across the United States in 1909; from New York City to The World's Fair in Seattle, Washington, the Ford Model T, the Acme, and the Shawmut are the only three companies that take the bait when a race is introduced by Mr. Guggenheim, and no one thought that anyone would win, much less stay alive [the road was fraught with dangers we today can only imagine]. The Ford Model T was the underdog, but yet they still won. Except, they actually didn't. At all.

This book tells that amazing, crazy story, and tells it well. You will be sucked into the story immediately [and often I felt like I was right there with the men risking everything to be the winner], and by the end, you will wonder what the heck happened and how the Model T STILL came out on top.

A great read for history AND car lovers alike. This book will rock your world and will have you looking at Ford much differently moving forward.

Thank you to NetGalley, Eric Moskowitz, and St. Martin's Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Cindy]

I know I've included this is many reviews before, but one of my favorite kinds of nonfiction are stories from American history that I've never heard before. And this was that! In 1909 there was an "Ocean to Ocean" race for automobiles. I knew roads weren't much back then, but the trip was even more grueling than I would have guessed - it took over 3 weeks! And when all the entrants don't play by the rules, it makes it harder still...
Lots of American history tidbits on many subjects. If you like history - try this one.
Thanks to Netgalley for the Advance Copy.

[Sheila The Reader]

I picked up The Hardest, Longest Race because I try to read at least one nonfiction book every month, and while I usually gravitate toward memoirs, this seemed like a good opportunity to branch out. What I didn’t expect was how emotionally invested I would become in a story about a 1909 automobile race.

While the race itself is fascinating, this book is really about much more than cars. It’s a look at America at the turn of the twentieth century and the people, companies, and innovations that helped shape it. I loved all of the historical details woven throughout the story, from the early days of AAA and road travel to Firestone tires, the Blue Book, and the attitudes toward women drivers at the time.

I was especially interested in the story of the Shawmut Motor Company. As someone originally from the Boston area with a father and grandfather who both loved cars, that piece of the story gave me an unexpected personal connection.

What surprised me most, though, was how strongly I reacted to Henry Ford and Ford Motor Company. Going into this book, I viewed Ford primarily as an automotive pioneer. Coming out of it, I found myself with a deep distaste for many of the tactics used to secure victory in the race and for some of Ford’s actions in the years that followed. The story left me with a much more complicated view of a man whose legacy is often celebrated without much discussion of the darker parts.

At times the book felt a little repetitive, but overall I found it incredibly engaging. If you enjoy narrative nonfiction like The Devil in the White City or The Boys in the Boat, I think you’ll find a lot to like here. And if you have a car enthusiast or American history buff in your life, this would make a fantastic recommendation.

[Michael]

Eric Moscowitz has crafted a well-researched account of a groundbreaking cross-country car race in “The Longest, Hardest Race.” He crafts an engaging narrative and one can’t help but admire these drivers. There were a couple of gaps in the narrative from my perspective that still have me scratching my head but don’t let that put you off. Thanks to #netgalley and #stmartinspress for the opportunity to preview this book.

[Alex Lynn]

Wow this was such a good one!

For as long as I can remember, my family has always been a “Ford” family. My grandpa, my mom’s dad, actually worked at Ford as their export parts manager, eventually retiring from there.
Reading what this race was like, almost seems untouchable & unfathomable. I’ve never known a life without cars, but clearly there was a time. The author goes into great detail about not just these cars that competed in the Ocean-to-Ocean Automobile Endurance Competition, but the individuals that were involved as well.
It was an over 4,000 mile race that went all the way from New York 🗽 to Seattle. 🐟

My fav quotes from the book!:

“In another thirty-one years, the largest floating bridge in the world would shoot motorists directly across Lake Washington to Seattle, but in 1909 you needed to drive down and around the lake or take a ferry.”

“Henry Ford called the race "one of the greatest boons to the cause of motoring and good roads in the history of the automobile." He lamented that AAA and the manufacturers' alliance had fought so hard against the contest, shrinking the field. But whether it was five cars or fifty, he'd always known a Model T would break the tape.
"The result of the race," Ford said, "is just what I
predicted."”

“The Model T changed everything, ushering the automobile from its uncertain adolescence into an essential feature of American life and an indelible shaper of the landscape, for good and for ill. The ten millionth Model T rolled off the assembly line on June 4, 1924-fifteen years and three days after the start of the Ocean-to-Ocean Race-with a celebratory paint job.”

“(In bringing the farmer to the city and enabling the city dweller to enjoy country nature, the automobile produced another change. The two migrations somehow met head on to create that miracle of modern living-the suburb.)”

What a cool way to look at history through a different lens 🔎👓🚙🛻

[Julie]

Thank you to Net Galley and St Martins Press for the ARC.

The Hardest, Longest Race details a car race from NYC to Seattle in 1909. The book mainly follows three cars, two Model T by the Ford Motor Company and the Shawmut out of Boston.

I am not a car person, but I really enjoyed this book. It’s hard to imagine a world where highways and paved roads didn’t exist, never mind the primitive nature of the cars in this book. I found the pacing of the book good and the story was very readable. I also appreciated that the author not only tied up all loose ends, but included a brief synopsis of what happened to each of the main characters.

I would highly recommend this book. You do not need to be a car enthusiast to enjoy the story, but it is interesting to see how this race helped propelled the ford to the household name that it is total.

[Laura]

The cross country race discussed in this history really did change America. More people began to see the benefits of cars, which led to tremendous growth in auto manufacturing, service and improved roadways. (Unfortunately, that also led to decreased reliance on rails, but that was not the point of this book.) In today's world, where corporations yield great power, it was interesting to gain a glimpse in the early world of automakers, where the "best" was not always the last one standing.

[Carrie]

Full 5 stars for Eric Moskowitz's The Hardest, Longest Race: Henry Ford and the Cross-Country Contest That Changed America. This was a very fun, and even intense read at times, as, I found myself cheering on the underdog, Shawmut, rather than Ford's Model Ts, which were the numbers 1 and 2 "stars" of this book. When I first saw the title, I thought, oh this will be a really cool read and I'll get to learn about Henry Ford, considered an automotive pioneer. To my great surprise, Moskowitz's novel is far more than that.

This review is coming a bit late after the release date; however, before I go further, I would like to thank St Martin's Press, NetGalley, and Eric Moskowitz, the author, for providing this advance review copy (ARC) for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

It's obvious from the start that Moskowitz spent a great deal of time researching material. And given that at the time the cross-country race took place in 1909, there was no internet, the author (as he confirms at the end in his "notes" section) spent considerable time going through microfilm and digitized records and visiting archives. The result was a detailed narrative that tells the story of the first endurance/automotive race from coast to coast--New York City to Seattle, Washington during the early years of automobiles.

Although the main story is about a race, The Hardest, Longest Race also details the extreme conditions and what appeared at times to be almost insurmountable hardships and adversities faced at a time before there were interstates and main thoroughfares, and the lack of service stations/garages. And we have this "race" to thank for there being more interest in making, especially, the western part of the country more accessible. Additionally, Mosckowitz provided some insight into life in America in the first decade of the 20th century. It wasn't always easy for the racers as they passed through the various communities.

Starting the book was a little difficult to follow, especially in an e-book format, and having a hard copy print would have been nice to quickly page back and forth with all the various cast of characters, as well as setting up the context and provide adequate background. But once the race was started, and the drivers were well on their way, The Hardest, Longest Race, flowed better and often, I found myself wanting to keep going, just to see who would make it first to the next checkpoint.

Because there was so much additional information and stories to tell, that is mostly why it took me so long to finish this book. It definitely was a slower read for me than many other non-fiction titles I enjoy reading. Despite that, the author, in my opinion, wove very interesting anecdotes throughout, to provide his readers with more than just a car race, but the importance that this cross-country drive had on the various other people involved--the guides, mechanics/technicians, dealerships, the early days of the AAA, the Blue Book, Firestone tires, and other everyday Americans. It was obvious to me, at least, that this book was a labor of love and that Mosckovitz was passionate about telling more than just a 4,000-mile cross-country racing/endurance story.

I don't want to spoil things so won't give out many details. However, I do want to say that going into this story, I thought this would mostly be about Henry Ford and how he really launched his automotive legacy. I was very surprised at the tactics that Ford would take to win this race--along with M. Robert Guggenheim, who sponsored this race. I definitely have a much different view of Henry Ford, and unfortunately, that side has mostly been hidden in history, and instead is celebrated. I also wonder if things had gone differently for Shawmut (from Boston), if that would be a commonly known household name, as Ford is.

I highly recommend The Hardest, Longest Race to, of course, auto enthusiasts, competitions, any one with an interest in the early days of this country as it entered the 20th century and began to embrace new technologies, the Western US, and a little known part of America's history, this is definitely worth the time to read. Oh, and I was able to listen to a bit of the audiobook version as I was finishing the book, and so for those who prefer to listen, this is also a wonderful listen. However, make sure to read the last few chapters, especially, if you enjoy reading through all the credits (it was pretty impressive!).

[James Hallmark]

This was a great read. Interesting and fast moving! (Pun intended and also inaccurate...these cars were moving along at 5-10 MPH!). It was 1909 and there was no national road connecting cities. There were very few cars and those cars were overwhelmingly in the cities. Various forces wanted to demonstrate the need for a national network of roads, and various car manufacturers needed to demonstrate that you COULD drive a car from one city to another. While 35 cars signed up, only 6 crossed the starting line in Manhattan: two Ford Model Ts, a Shawmut Roadster (a prominent upscale manufacturer of the Brass era), an ACME (also prominent in the automobile Brass Era), an Itala from Tourin, Italy, and a Steans, which didn't make it out of NY state. There were a set of rules that included having the same drivers the whole way and while the car could be repaired and parts replaced along the way, major components (such as axles and the engine) were stamped such that you had to arrive in Seattle with the same equipment you left with. The Italia got off to a rough start and lagged well behind, not really a factor in the story. The ACME brought up the rear by quite a distance but made it. The real race was between the Shawmut and the two Fords. Those three shuffled their order throughout the race based on mechanical problems, floods, bribed ferry operators who intentionally stalled to favor Ford, running off the road, and taking wrong turns. (There were no "roads" as we understand "roads;" there were no "maps" as we understand "maps.") Basically, Ford cheated the whole way, but they also had a well-developed PR team and sent out daily press releases framing the Ford cars as leading the pack whether they were or not. The reality is that Ford car #2 crossed the finish line first with all the celebration and champaign, followed by the Shawmut and then the Ford #1, with the ACME finishing much later. BUT, Ford #2 was disqualified as they had illegally replaced their engine along the way. (The Ford #2 drove the last third of the way on a new engine, then reconditioned the worn out engine, shipped it by rail to Seattle and put it back in before the finish line.) So, the Shawmut was awarded first place, although by then no one cared and everyone thought Ford had won. Very good story and well told. By the way, Moskowitz writes for the Boston Globe and won a Pulitzer as a member of the team that covered the Boston Marathon bombing. This is a great story.

[Jodi]

This would be a great novel for the car enthusiast or anyone that likes a historic view of history and how it changes.. The details included really paints a visual of not only conditions of the roads but the people and times as well as economy. An across country car race completed in 1909 before any highways or real roads throughout the country. It was an over 4,000 mile race that went all the way from New York to Seattle. The author goes into great detail about not just these cars that competed in the Ocean-to-Ocean Automobile Endurance Competition, but the individuals that were involved as well. Details the extreme conditions and what appeared at times to be almost insurmountable hardships and adversities faced at a time before there were interstates and main thoroughfares, and the lack of service stations/garages. And we have this "race" to thank for there being more interest in making, especially, the western part of the country more accessible. Additionally, Mosckowitz provided some insight into life in America in the first decade of the 20th century. It wasn't always easy for the racers as they passed through the various communities. You do not need to be a car enthusiast to enjoy the story, but it is interesting to see how this race helped propelled the Ford to the household name that it is total. I would like to thank St Martin's Press, NetGalley, and Eric Moskowitz, the author, for providing this opportunity.

[Bargain Sleuth Book Reviews]

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

There’s something about American history that speaks to me. While I am no automobile collector nor do I enjoy tinkering on cars, I have always been fascinated by the evolution of the vehicles. While The Hardest, Longest Race is about cars, it’s about so much more than that. It’s about America at the turn of the last century and everything that helped shape the 20th century in the United States and beyond.

Henry Ford was a genius who also quite obviously cheated during the race. The stories of the other automobile companies mentioned were more interesting than hearing more about the guy who was such a shitty, racist, POS. The man is celebrated the world over for his innovations, but he was also not a good person at all.

This untold story of the early automobile scene in the United States is very interesting history. This book would make a great present to anyone who loves American History or is a car enthusiast.

[Ric]

I’m not necessarily a car guy, but I do like a fun historical story and this definitely fit that bill. It was an entertaining story, I enjoyed reading how difficult it was to traverse the country at the time, and how Ford (obviously) cheated. I also liked reading about the fallout and how the landscape of the automobile industry at the turn of the century.

But I do think it got to be a bit repetitive that so much was just talking about how cars would get stuck and how they’d be fixed. And the beginning was a bit confusing, but eventually it became easier to keep track of everything. Well researched and definitely worth reading if you’re into cars, 3.5 stars.

[Nancy Hegarty]

(Audiobook) this was a fascinating story about a 1909 race across the country on mostly unpaved roads. I enjoyed the well researched book, and learned about roads (or lack thereof), geography, car development and repair, the pioneer spirit, the durability a car manufactured by the Shawmut company of Stoneham, Massachusetts (which was never mass produced due to a factory fire and the unhelpful timing of a rare-to-Massachusetts-politics streak of concern about cronyism), the logistics of arranging such a race in 1909, the Seattle World’s Fair of 1909, and the genesis of the Ford Model T dominance in the US. While a 1909 road race is a niche subject, the book was not just about cars, and I really enjoyed it.

[Rob Hudson]

A truly exceptional work of research, this is a fascinating story of more than just a race. It is peppered with brief tales of small to modest size communities across the country and interesting characters living in them, who had a bit role in the broader story. I recommend reading the Epilogue, Afterward, Acknowledgments, and chapter Notes to truly appreciate what it took to put this story together. The main characters -- the drivers, their mechanics, the cars themselves, Henry Ford, Ford's hustling car dealers, the race promoter -- are also interesting. But the feel of what the country was like in 1909 and what it took to get across it in an automobile are what stand out to me.

[Ryan C. Zerfas]

I'm obviously a sucker for these highly researched land before law books. (Bonus points when the research process is laid out at the end like this... I eat that shit up).

These people are insane - that drove in this race. It's unbelievable how complicated it all got as it played out. So much drama and lead changes.

Really fun to drop in to 1909 and take this trip in these super wagon cars.

Loved the nod to Battle of Ink and Ice as well as my favorite game as a kid: The Oregon Trail.

[Judith Worthington]

This Non-Fiction gives a thorough and detailed history of the first Ocean to Ocean motor race in June 1909. Starting in New York City, New York, racers drove 4106 miles to the World's Fair in Seattle, Washington.

As I'm not into automotive history, the most interesting part of the book involved the race itself and the wild antics of the Ford team's inventive ways to repeately cheat! It was interesting to learn about the people and places involved in the teams.

What I was hoping for were photos - I'd love to have seen newspaper clippings and photos of the trip. Alas, those were not included.

[a.hugh mclaughlin]

a real life account of early American racing

Well written, balanced, exciting, richly detailed account of the race across America when there was no roads.. The fact that Ford won at any cost is actually fascinating. Anyone who loves stories of the beginnings of America’s love affair with the automobile will love this book

[Lisa M.]

This was a really interesting read and a unique way to experience history. While it's centered around the 1909 Ocean-to-Ocean automobile race, it's really about so much more than just cars. The author does a great job weaving together the race itself with the history of early automobiles, the push for better roads, and the people and companies that helped shape America. I knew very little about this event going in, but I found myself completely invested. It's hard to imagine driving over 4,000 miles across the country when roads were often little more than muddy trails, and the book really gives you an appreciation for how groundbreaking this race was. I also appreciated that it presented Henry Ford as a complicated historical figure rather than simply celebrating his accomplishments. He was definitely the type to do whatever it took to come out on top.

The only thing I felt was missing was some visual content. I would have loved to see photographs, maps, or newspaper clippings from the race to help bring everything to life. There were also a few sections that felt a bit repetitive, but overall I found it to be an engaging and well-researched piece of narrative nonfiction. If you enjoy American history or stories about innovation and perseverance, this is definitely one worth picking up.

4 stars.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC. All opinions are 100% my own.

[John Taillie]

Incredibly well researched and written.

[Thomas Mackie]

Great colorful storytelling for a fun read. Good history, but intended for all of us.

[David H.]

For car lovers

Captures the unique American spirit at the start of the 20th century. Well researched; you can almost feel the grit on your teeth.

[Martish]

Interesting history from the early days of the automobile. Will never take my GPS for granted again!

[Joe]

Gives you a sense on how manufacturing and the automotive industry expanded out today, all because of a simple coast to coast race. Very imformative and a great read.

[Susan]

Excellent book of a forgotten but seminal time in automotive history

An amazingly researched, detailed account of the historic 1909 Ocean to Ocean Car Contest. Eric Moskowitz did a fantastic job of describing the brutal race which came down to the Ford Model-T's and the Shawmut - and what Henry Ford and his minions diabolically did to win the race "at all costs." Highly recommend.

[Terry Hoover]

This is a very interesting book. Since I live in Michigan Henry Ford is a figure that I definitely have heard about. It's interesting to see the lengths he went to in order to put his company in the number one spot in the nation even if some were underhanded This book will appeal to someone who is interested in history and in cars

[Amy Dance]

4.5. The great American Road Trip- 1909 style! Car makers send their cars across the country from NY to WA to prove which is the best car.