Liberty (Hardcover)

by Lynn Curlee (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free..."

Nearly 40 percent of all Americans today can trace their ancestry to people who passed directly beneath the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor after emigrating from Europe. The most colossal metal statue ever built, Lady Liberty represents the freedom and better way of life that immigrants sought in America. This big, elegant book traces the history of the "Mother of Exiles," from her inception at a dinner party in France, to model-building by Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi, a young French sculptor, to internal engineering by another young Frenchman named Eiffel, to its presentation from the French to the American people in 1886. Liberty is chock-full of compelling--sometimes overwhelming--details, including Eiffel's revolutionary use of iron girders in latticelike grids for the internal support, and the discord in the American committee charged with raising money for the pedestal. Always beaming through the facts, however, is the passion of Lady Liberty's creators and supporters. Lynn Curlee's gorgeous paintings capture the staggering size of both the project and the statue itself. This book is a stunning gift for anyone who has ever been awestruck at the first sight of the majestic symbol of America's freedom. It includes statue specifications, a timeline, and a bibliography. For another Curlee tribute to an American icon, read Rushmore. (Ages 9 to 12) --Emilie Coulter

From Publishers Weekly
In a treatment every bit as thorough and even more impassioned than his Rushmore, art historian and artist Curlee gives readers an exquisitely detailed behind-the-scenes look at the making of another American landmark, a gift from the French. His tribute opens with the full text of Emma Lazarus's sonnet "The New Colossus," in which she refers to Lady Liberty as the "Mother of Exiles." Curlee follows with a finely honed description of the statue itself: "She is not pretty, but she is beautiful, her features majestic and severe, her glance stern and full of concentration." He demonstrates that the biography of the statue is inextricably linked to those of two Frenchmen, douard de Laboulaye and Fr d ric-Auguste Bartholdi, who first envisioned a monument to be built as a memorial to American independence; more than 20 years would pass before their vision would become a reality. Curlee includes fascinating details about the political wrangling, financial difficulties (an appeal directly to the American public by Joseph Pulitzer, via his newspaper, raised the final $100,000 for the statue's pedestal) and artistic labor; he is particular adept at explaining the engineering difficulties involved in putting together and supporting a statue that soars more than 150 feet tall and weighs more than 32 tons (Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel created its ingenious iron frameworkDnine years later, he would create his famous tower). Curlee's flat acrylics, which typically position the viewer looking up at the statue from below, work to create a majestic presence for "Liberty Enlightening the World." A reverent, absorbing homage to the world-renowned symbol of American freedom. Ages 7-12. (May)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum; 1st edition (May 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689828233
• ISBN-13: 978-0689828232
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 9.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,188,262 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Liberty: A statue born of admiration, June 9, 2000

By	Karen R. Todorov (Lansing Michigan) - See all my reviews

The story behind the Statue of Libery is filled with suspense even though the happy ending is well known! This book attempts to have us think more deeply about this well known American icon. Born from a deep admiration for the American democratic experiment, like many other treasures it was conceived of by private citizens and funded in the most democratic way---by the people. The story of its conception and funding is more interesting than the technical details but it is complete in all aspects including the restoration. The illustrations add to the power of the writing.