Fallen Glory: The Lives and Deaths of History's Greatest Buildings
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.38 (502 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 1250118298 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 640 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2014-05-19 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
And, by picking through the fragments of our past, it asks what history’s scattered ruins can tell us about our own future.. They can succeed or fail. An inviting, fascinating compendium of twenty-one of history's most famous lost places, from the Tower of Babel to the Twin TowersBuildings are more like us than we realize. Ranging from the deserts of Iraq, the banks of the Nile and the cloud forests of Peru, to the great cities of Jerusalem, Istanbul, Paris, Rome, London and New York, Fallen Glory is a unique guide to a world of vanished architecture. They can endure crises of faith and purpose. They have duties and responsibilities. Soap operas on the grandest scale, they feature war and religion, politics and art, love and betrayal, catastrophe and
I savored each page. At no time was I tempted to rush through or skip ahead. “No one can accuse Fallen Glory of lacking ambition.It’s a narrative that spans seven millennia, five continents and even reaches into cyberspace. This is a magnificent study of buildings and other structures that have disappeared. The writing is that good, and each one of the author’s subjects is fascinating and idiosyncratic.This is a book of and for the world.”Henry Petroski, The Wall Street Journal“Witty and memorablemoving as we
Steven Peterson said Fascinating look at constructions and the context in which they were placed.. An absolutely fascinating book! It explores buildings, cities, and other architectural creations from millennia B.C. up to much more recent times. It explores the discovery process of the varying constructions, a slice of history about these, an analysis of what the particular story might tell us.The book begins with the Tower of Babel, an elusive subject. The chapter brings in American troops and Saddam Hussein himself as a part of the narrative (a fascinating juxtaposition). Other ancient examples: the Palace of King Minos on Crete, and the Temple at Jerusalem, among others. . History brought to life. It's tempting to say, This is how all history should be written and taught for non-historians. Through tales of the rise and fall of many of the world's greatest buildings and cities, Crawford really brings history to life. Though copiously footnoted suggesting considerable academic rigor, this book is full of lively and fascinating storytelling that leaves a reader filled with amazement at what humans can do, and by their folly as well. A terrific read - highly recommended.. Amazon Customer said Five Stars. A very interesting and well-written book.
. He lives in Edinburgh. In 2013, he wrote and acted as design consultant on Telling Scotland's Story, a graphic novel guide to Scottish Archaeology. Born in the Shetlands in 1978, he studied History and Philosophy of Law at the University of Edinburgh, winning the Lord President Cooper Memorial Prize. JAMES CRAWFORD wo