Editorial Review

"Is it a fact--or have I dreamt it--that, by means of electricity, the world of matter has become a great nerve, vibrating thousands of miles in a breathless point of time?" If you, like Nathaniel Hawthorne, are kept up at night wondering about how things work--from electricity to can openers--then you and your favorite kids shouldn't be a moment longer without David Macaulay's Read more

Reviews (24)

Amazing Book for the Inquisitive.
This was one of my favorite books as a child, and is a great deal of the reason why I have such an interest in science.The explanations are well written for anyone to understand, and the diagrams really help the reader understand the science better.If you, like me, take things apart to find out how they work, this is the book for you.

Great book
The book was a gift. It helps in the learning process.
A Work of Art
"The Way Things Work" took almost three years to create. A cute and sometimes silly "Great Wooly Mammoth" makes his appearance throughout the book. The facial expressions and animal antics are at times very amusing.
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Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Science    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Juvenile Nonfiction    4. Popular works    5. Reference - General    6. Science & Nature - General    7. Technology    8. Technology (General)    9. Technology - How Things Work/Are Made    10. General science    11. Juvenile Nonfiction / Science & Technology / How Things Work    12. Technology & Applied Sciences   

Editorial Review

David Macaulay has made it his business to demystify science andtechnology for children (and certainly one or two surreptitious adults) with hisworldwide bestseller, Read more

Reviews (11)

Disappointing!Models don't work!
We find Macaulay's books intriguing and so proceeded to order the kit for our 11 year old daughter.She loves science, does experiments on her own at home, elects to attend science camps every summer, and wants to be an engineer.She found the instruction cards attractive and easy to follow BUT"half the things didn't work" and "it was boring". She was extremely disappointed with the kit as she painstakingly followed instructions, and attempted to troubleshoot and adapt the models when she found they wouldn't work. My husband and I are an electrical engineer and a physician respectively, and we too were unable to shed any light on the problems she was having. We definitely would advise parents NOT to buy this kit.

Still fun after all these years
I have loved David Macaulay's books since I was a kid. Though I've grown up, I am still facinated by his unique way of explaining things we take for granted. The Way Things Work is a road map for today's highly confusing and intimidating technological times. It allows you to gain a glimpse of the wonder of engineering, from the very simple, to the most complex.

great idea but very poor execution
it's a very poorly designed kit.parents have to do a LOT of it.Macaulay should have teamed up with LEGO to create his kit.Read more

Subjects:  1. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    2. Popular works    3. Technology    4. Technology (General)    5. Technology: General Issues   

Reviews (23)

A book ALL Archaeologists / Historians should read
If you are a fan of David Macaulay's books about the contruction of such wonders as a Cathedral, Pyramid, City, Mill, etc ... then you will really enjoy this book about future archaeologists / explorers "discovering" the burried ruins of an American motel room in the 41st century ... and the miss-identification of just about every item found. Motel of the Mysteries
I think this book is creatively written to get young people to read, and to get a good laugh about how people in the future look at people in the past.

Motel of the Mysteries
Great and interesting book for adolescents!Iwould highly recommend this book because it will keep you on the edge of your seats. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1950-    2. Anecdotes, facetiae, satire, etc    3. Antiquities    4. Civilization, Modern    5. Form - Parodies    6. Humor    7. North America    8. Juvenile Fiction / Humorous Stories    9. Modern fiction   

Editorial Review

Imagine yourself in 13th-century England. King Edward I has just named the fictitious Kevin le Strange to be the Lord of Aberwyvern--"a rich but rebellious area of Northwest Wales." Lord Kevin's first task is to oversee the construction of a strategically placed castle and town in order to assure that England can "dominate the Welsh once and for all." And a story is born! In the Caldecott Honor Book Read more

Reviews (17)

For kids and their parents
I bought this book twenty years ago while in college because it was so well illustrated, and it did such a great job of answering questions I had about how castles were built and arranged.I haven't looked at it since, but save dit because I knew someday my kids would love it as much as I did.
Super Again!
I received"Castles" in a timely manner, and in good condition. I am always pleased with my purchases.

Wonderful non-fiction for kids
'Castle' gives a remarkable look a the creation of a medieval castle. The specifics of date, place, and people are all fiction, but the details of planning and construction are facts.
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Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Castles    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    4. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    5. Fortification    6. General    7. Juvenile Nonfiction    8. Juvenile literature    9. Architecture & buildings    10. Juvenile Nonfiction / Architecture   

Editorial Review

When children catch their first glimpse of a pyramid, a sea of questions inevitably tumbles forth. "Why are they shaped like that?" "How were they made?" "Who made them?" "What were they used for?" Perplexed adults can sigh with relief now that David Macaulay has found a way to thoroughly answer all those deserving questions. His exquisitely crosshatched pen-and-ink illustrations frame the engaging fictional story of an ancient pharaoh who commissions a pyramid to be built for him. With great patience and respect for minute detail (not unlike the creators of the early pyramids), Macaulay explains the sometimes backbreaking tasks of planning, hauling, chiseling, digging, and hoisting that went into the construction of this awe-inspiring monument. Just when the narrative teeters on the edge of textbook doldrums, Macaulay brings us back to the engaging human drama of death and superstition. This respectful blending of architecture, history, and mysticism will certainly satiate pyramid-passionate children as well as their obliging parents. ALA Notable Book. (Ages 9 and older) Read more

Reviews (10)

A captivating book on a popular subject with children
With exquisitely detailed black-line drawings, this book shows how the pyramids in Egypt may have been constructed. A two-page introduction gives some background of life in Egypt, including an overview of Egyptian spiritual beliefs and practices, especially those related to death and dying. The introduction makes clear that this book is based on an imaginary pharaoh and an imaginary pyramid and that there are differences of opinion about the construction process the Egyptians used.
good introduction
Though this was written nearly thirty years ago, this is stillone of the best introductions to the building of the pyramids out there, as he distills the basics down to the bare minimum without sacrificing much detail.The drawings, too, are superb, though the one page showing the various bald-headed workers made me think of Blue Man Group. A GREAT, FUN READ
My friend checked this book out from the library and lent it to me, and I really enjoyed it. Communicating through words and drawings, Mr. Macaulay makes us feel like we're there in Egypt watching the pyramids being built through the decades. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a book they can really sink their teeth into. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Children's 9-12 - Architecture    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    4. Children: Grades 4-6    5. Civilization    6. Design and construction    7. Egypt    8. Juvenile literature    9. Pyramids    10. Juvenile Nonfiction / Architecture   

Editorial Review

The Gothic cathedral is one of humanity's greatest masterpieces--an architectural feast that couldn't help but attract the attention of renowned author-illustrator David Macaulay. Once an architectural student at the Rhode Island School of Design, Macaulay glories in the intricacies and beauty of structure, as evidenced in his masterful pen-and-ink drawings in critically acclaimed children's books such as Read more

Reviews (13)

An excellent masterpiece!
Words are useless to describe this masterpiece created by David Macaulay.
spellbinding for children and adults alike
Like all of Macaulay's architectural books, CATHEDRAL is ripe with vivid illustrations that are both enthralling and educational to behold. The drawings not only illustrate the cathedral's method of construction, but convey the presence and majesty of the space as well. One feels the dizzying height of the tower and the formidable strength of the foundation stones. I was always amazed at the ingenuity of the laborers in completing tasks that I would have otherwise felt impossible to attemp without power tools.
A wonderful introduction to architecture and the Middle Ages
Having just finished a great book called "Great Cathedrals", filled with 400 pages of jaw-dropping photographs, I kept wondering how in the world they could have built such marvelous edifices with rudimentary implements over 800 years ago.David Macaulay's "Cathedral" is a book ostensibly written for children but which will fascinate readers of all ages.In scarcely 80 pages, Macaulay takes us back in time to the year 1252 in the fictional French village of Chutreaux where the people decide to build the "longest, widest, highest and most beautiful cathedral in all of France" for the glory of God.Macaulay's text is minimal, but his exquisite black and white line drawings say it all: the step-by-step stages in the building's construction, the craftsmen and the tools they used, and the dedication that kept this project going for 80 years until its completion.We feel a sense of awe at the dedication of the original architects and craftsmen and builders who knew that they would be long dead before the cathedral was finally finished.Macaulay's glossary at the end of the book helps us to understand the major elements of the Gothic cathedral, and his cross-sections and diagrams provide clear illustration of just how the cathedral rose from its foundations.At the end of this volume, we share the awe and pride the townspeople felt at having shared a goal for over 80 years and making it a reality.Macaulay's "Cathedral" is a marvelous creation in more ways than one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Architecture, Gothic    3. Cathedrals    4. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    5. Children: Grades 3-4    6. General    7. History - Medieval    8. Juvenile Nonfiction    9. Juvenile Nonfiction / Architecture    10. Religious buildings   

Reviews (13)

David Macauley is brilliant!
This video presentation of the building of the city of Rome is a must for anyone interested in the classics or architecture.
A must have for Roman history
I am a huge fan of David Macaulay's historically based line drawings.I found myself drawn into the images and fact-based fictional story.I forgot I borrowed this for my children!After you read the book, you may want to view the PBS video Roman City hosted by Mr. Macaulay.It features footage of ruines as well as animation sequences that follow the story set-up in City.Be sure to include this book in your study of 1st century BC / AD Rome- you won't be disappointed!

A Must Have Book
If you're studying Rome, you NEED this book!There are no pretty colored pictures here, no photos either, just very clear, exceptionally detailed line drawings that make it apparent even to quite young students (I used this with a grade 3 homeschool student) how very much "modern" life owes to Roman engineering genius. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiquities    2. Building    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    4. Children: Grades 4-6    5. City planning    6. Civil engineering    7. General    8. Juvenile literature    9. Rome    10. Juvenile Nonfiction / Architecture   

Reviews (4)

Good clear book for the layman / secondary school child
An award winning book, famous amongst teachers of architecture.This book is full of pen and ink cutaway line drawings of just about every underground structure, explaining to the lay person how they all interact.The problem is it is set in the USA, but that aside, it is a very interesting book.
anatomy of an infrastructure
This book ranks as one of Macaulay's best, as it reveals the networks of systems that are the lifeblood of a city, from various building foundations to sewers to subways, showing how they are constructed and sometimes interact with each other.The text, though minimal, is packed with information, which is supplemented by the superb and detailed drawings.One of the coolest aspects of the book, though, is the views from below, as if a rat with x-ray vision were able to gaze up at this intricate maze of technological wonders.Macaulay's sense of humor is evident throughout, as seen by his inclusion of various critters (including an alligator and an elephant), lots of references to dogs and fire hydrants, a billboard ad for his book PYRAMID, and even a human skull and hand (!!) in one drawing of an excavation.Great fun to read and highly recommended.

"What are those round metal things in the street?"
What Mr. Macaulay does is pull up a city by the roots, shake the dirt off, and take a no-nonsense (well, maybe a little nonsense) look at what is revealed.The illustrations are clear and informative, with just a touch of whimsy.The book covers sanitary sewers, storm sewers, water lines, electricity, telephone, subways and building foundations.A gift for aspiring civil engineers of all ages! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Technical    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. City and town life    5. Civil engineering    6. Juvenile literature    7. Science & Technology    8. Underground construction    9. Underground utility lines    10. Juvenile Fiction / Science & Technology   

Editorial Review

David Macaulay's hit PBS series by the same name cannot take you as far as this book does into the wonders of the constructed world: dams, domes, skyscrapers, tunnels, and bridges. It's also a trip through time, transporting you, for instance, from Rome's Ponte Fabricio (built in 62 B.C.) to the 1930s Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco to France's Ponte de Normandie across the Seine, which was the longest bridge on earth when completed in 1994. Some of the wires that so ingeniously hold up the Golden Gate are depicted in their intricate engineering context--and at their actual size. As you pore over Macaulay's crystal-clear text and profuse illustrations, the mental fog lifts and you get a sense of what a marvelous act of imagination the bridge is. Read more

Reviews (6)

Great Book
I bought this book for my 6 year old son who is an avid builder.I knew that the text would be above his head, so I read the book before giving it to him so I could summarize the paragraphs for him.He asks to look at this book every night and loves it.This is not a picture book as it has a lot of text, but the pictures are well done, and he has gained some basic building concepts that he uses with his Legos and blocks.He likes to look at the book about how they build a structure (he is really fascinated by the Hoover dam and Petronas Towers) and they we look online at the completed pictures.It's a great book for older children (or if you want to take the time with a younger child to explain it) and I recommend it.

A Great Gift for Someone Who Loves Architecture
I gave this book as a gift to someone who loves and understands architecture.He found it most interesting.It contains many facts that are not generally know about large, historical structures.

A BIG success
David Macaulay takes the reader on a tour of some of the really big civil engineering structures of our time. Building Big has sections on Bridges, Tunnels, Dams, Domes, and Skyscrapers.Each part of the book describes the design and construction of from four to ten outstanding examples of the structure highlighted. The examples in each category are described in chronological order with some going back to the time of ancient Rome. The drawings that accompany the text are excellent at focusing on the details and techniques described. The integration of text and graphics is wonderful. In each case, Macaulay describes the design objectives, the interplay between the structure and the environment, and the engineering solutions used to bring the structures into being. This is a wonderful book for anyone interested in structural engineering and design. I have not seen the related PBS video series, but I can say that the book stands on its own very well. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Architecture Of Specific Structures    3. Design & Drafting    4. Planning    5. Architectural structure & design    6. Juvenile Nonfiction / Architecture   

Editorial Review

In Read more

Reviews (3)

To Whole Cloth
This is an important book. Written for children, it can be used just as effectively by adults to comprehend the beginnings of the industrial revolution in the United States. Learn and see how men tamed our rivers and how men, women and children were swallowed up in these great monuments to progress. Mill
A wonderful story that takes the reader through the life and times of an infant small village mill into the mature years of a 20th century factory-mill. Excellent illustrations, and fun storyline that allows the reader to become involved with the life of the mill. I loved it.

A Great Book
Mill is, simply put, remarkably well crafted.In it, David Macaulay gives us a brief history of the beginnings of the textile industry in America, walks us through the planning and construction of four successively morecomplex mills, lavishly illustrates the buildings, the machines and theirpower sources and, at the same time, manages to thoroughly convince us thatwe would never want to work in one.Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    2. Children: Grades 4-6    3. Factories    4. General    5. History    6. Rhode Island    7. Textile factories    8. Textile industry    9. Juvenile Nonfiction / Architecture   

Editorial Review

Black and White is an interesting title for a book that aims to prove there's no such thing as black and white. But read on and you will see that irony and playful deception are running themes in this multidimensional, nonlinear picture story, which was awarded the 1991 Caldecott Medal. In it, a normal-looking cow contains a robber literally pointing at one of the plot's various possible outcomes, which remain tentative as long as they are formulated by young readers. Seeing new angles and clues every time they open the book, these readers will probably astound adult onlookers with their excitement and ease at navigating the unknown in a literary medium akin to interactive multimedia. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

I'd read it again and again
I bought this book because of the author's reputation and was not disappointed.Several story lines appear to occur simultaneously and enjoyably.I plan to use this book with small groups of students and ask each student to narrate a different story line.This is a fairly complex picture book that I'm sure all will enjoy.

great book,
Great book.My two and three year old girls are too young to get it.I read them only one of the four stories (the black and white cow part)But in a few more years I think it will be a favorite.It is four stories together into one.I love the play on different points of view as you see four different ways of seeing the effects of one event.I think it is a must have.

Life is not Black & White
This was one of the most interesting books I have ever read.When I first read this book, I did not really get the structure of this book and found myself very confused.I went back and looked at the book again and realized that this book was laid out just like our lives are.In our everyday lives everything is truly not black & white (one way or another), we have alot of gray area.This book has four stories going on at once, kind of like real life.This book would be more for an advanced reader.
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Subjects:  1. Animals - Farm Animals    2. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    3. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    4. Children: Grades 3-4    5. Classics    6. Family - Parents    7. Humorous Stories    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Juvenile Literature    10. Literary recreations    11. Macaulay, David    12. Transportation - General    13. Fiction    14. Juvenile Fiction / Humorous Stories    15. Picture books   

Subjects:  1. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    2. Design & technology    3. For National Curriculum Key Stage 2   

Reviews (7)

Very interesting and well done
The first book by David Macaulay that I ever read was Cathedral, so that's the benchmark by which I measure his other books. Mosque is based on the same premise as that book (i.e. the construction of a great structure for religious worship), but adds the new element of color for the first time and is obviously not set in Medieval Europe. And while I did enjoy the color prints, and the book is well done, overall I felt like it fell a bit short of Cathedral because the drawings lacked the detail found in that book. Mosque seems to present a bigger picture rather than focusing on the intricate details that made Cathedral so interesting to me. You'll notice that I still gave Mosque four stars, so I'm not unhappy with it at all. But I didn't think it quite lived up to the high standards set by Cathedral, which is the only reason I shorted it one star. I would add that my four-and-a-half-year-old son, who absolutely loves all things related to construction, really enjoyed this book becuase of its illustrations and the interesting subject matter, but also becuase I summarized the narrative rather than reading it word for word. I did that because it is written at a higher reading level than Cathedral. That may or may not suit your needs depending on your situation, but for younger kids this would be a long slog if you read every word to them.

Another awe-strucking book by David Macaulay
Mosque is David Macaulay's latest book on architecture. Macaulay does not get into politics and does not dwelve deep into religion; he just focuses on architecture.
For those who've wondered what a minaret is...
Macaulay has been writing thrillingly illustrated books about architecture for over 20 years. This latest volume seems to grow out of a desire to increase understanding of Islam in the West after the attacks on the US. In his preface he says, "I was convinced ... that the time had come to find out where these extraordinary buildings came from, who built them, and of course how." There follows a wonderful explanation of the planning and constructing of a fictional mosque. Along the way, you learn the meaning of minaret towers, qibla walls, and why much Islamic art is so closely tied with Arabic calligraphy. During the Dark Ages, Islam was the caretaker of geometry and architecture, and this book is a quick primer on how they did it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Children's 9-12 - Architecture    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    4. Children: Grades 3-4    5. Design and construction    6. Juvenile Architecture    7. Juvenile Nonfiction    8. Mosques    9. Religion - Islam    10. Architecture & buildings    11. Juvenile Nonfiction / Architecture   

Editorial Review

With so much interest in the raising of the Read more

Reviews (1)

History, for the kids.
My sister's boyfriend picked this book up at a garage sale and happened to leave it lying around. I was drawn to the cover art and once I started flipping through the pages, I couldn't put it down. It's not exactly a literary page-turner, though the story is kind of interesting - consisting mostly of a diary that was discovered in the early 1990's that contained a man's account of his experiences building a ship in Seville, Spain in 1504. But the illustrations, especially in the second half of the book, are of an incredibly high caliber. I was highly impressed with Mr. Macaulay's abilities and look forward to collecting the rest of his books if they, too, include such interesting painted pages. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Caravels    2. Caribbean Area    3. Caribbean Sea    4. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    5. Children: Grades 4-6    6. General    7. History    8. Juvenile literature    9. Underwater archaeology    10. Juvenile Nonfiction / Architecture   

Reviews (1)

"A good book" by David Stull, age 14
Carpentry for Children, by Les Walker is an incredible book with enlightening and challenging projects that will delight children for hours upon hours ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Carpentry    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. General    5. Handicraft    6. Juvenile literature    7. Fiction / War   

Reviews (4)

wonderful daydream material
This is an excellent book for lazy afternoons devoted to daydreaming.Every illustration is a wonderful "what if...?" scenario depicting an architectural acievement gone awry.Macaulay also has a particular love for dreaming up very peculiar applications of vinyl siding- that part does get a little tedious, but this book is definitely worth a look.When I first looked at this book several years ago, I was too young to get many of the jokes, but I just pulled it out again today- what a great surprise!

Great book;no library should be without it.
I came upon this book in my search for history of architecture in general.Though I expected something entirely different, I was immediately caught in the book's charm.The illustrations are clever and their sarcasmunbeatable. A book to look at, time and time again.

Excellent tongue-in-cheek Architectural Entertainment
I always find the author's work entertaining and informative.True, while Great Moments in Architecture is not as factual as some of his works, the sketches are beguiling, and the humor strikes a particularly concordant note with individuals involved in architectural careers.Read more

Subjects:  1. American wit and humor    2. American wit and humor, Pictor    3. American wit and humor, Pictorial    4. Architecture    5. Caricatures and cartoons    6. Cartoons and caricatures    7. General    8. Juvenile Fiction / Art & Architecture   

Editorial Review

David Macaulay connects the seemingly unconnected in this playful, witty collection of overlapping stories. Young readers must listen and watch carefully in order to track one story's clues that later pop up in another story. For example, Albert and his horse June take a shortcut over the railroad tracks on their way to sell melons at the market. Because they get there so early they are able to go home sooner than planned. Three chapters later, Albert and June's efficiency leads to another character's disappointment... and even a run-in with the law. Then there's poor Professor Tweet, who runs afowl of a hot-air balloon ride. But a few chapters later we discover that Professor Tweet's misfortune has lead to another man's most excellent fortune! Macaulay's characters are thoroughly engaging, such as the horse June, who wears curlers in her mane and likes to kick back in front of the TV. Many know Macaulay as the master of pen-and-ink detail, but here he proves himself as a versatile color artist, offering a richly blended palette and unusual visual perspectives. A funny, child-friendly shortcut into the study of cause and effect. (Ages 5 and older) Read more

Reviews (3)

This "Shortcut" is cut into shorts
Following up his success with the eclectic and Caldecott award winning, "Black and White", from 1990, author David Macaulay decided to write another multiple narrative infused picture book. If you've read "Black and White", you may remember how this kind of story works. Characters from different tales affect one another's lives and the reader has the joy of seeing how an action on the part of one person creates chaos or delight on the parts of others. The result is a meticulously crafted series of delicate vignettes, perfectly suited for the child reader. This is basically the equivalent of picture book jazz. And it works. Adults like this as much as the kids
I have been reading this book aloud to small groups of children for about three years.And every time I pull it out, I discover yet another clue, hiding in plain sight in the illustrations.The story starts deceptively simple: Arnold and his horse June take their melons to market.But soon, more characters enter, and my young audience (and older listeners) is challenged to keep them all straight.Because the actions of one, always have consequences for someone else. (Is this life, or what?) But you have to look closely at the pictures, because most of the real story is there. (And seeing June, with her horse shoes off, her feet up, and her mane in curlers, is priceless)ENJOY.

Shortcut to fun
The book Shortcut provides an exciting, humourous read for bothchildren andadults. Seemingly unrelatedevents contained within nine short chapters are shown to affect each others outcomes. Even after 3 readings of Shortcut with my 5 year old son, we continue to joyfully discover the connections betweenevents. Shortcut is a fun book for an inquisitive child and the reader. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    2. Children: Grades 2-3    3. General    4. Humorous Stories    5. Juvenile Fiction    6. Juvenile literature    7. Literary recreations    8. Fiction    9. Juvenile Fiction / Interactive Adventures    10. All ages    11. picture book   

Editorial Review

"Somewhere in the Italian hills, a homing pigeon is released. She soars quickly and follows an old road, which (of course) leads to Rome." So begins Caldecott Medal-winning artist David Macaulay's visually festive journey that tracks the whimsical flight of a homing pigeon through the archways, over the terra-cotta rooftops, and between the columns of this most ancient and vibrant city: "Instead of traveling directly to her destination, which is standard pigeon procedure, she decides to take the scenic route." Macaulay's angle of vision pans back and forth between the pigeon's-eye view and that of a roaming cinematographer. The effect is a kaleidoscope of whirling, swooping, dizzying images that must resemble flight itself. Macaulay's intricately crosshatched pen-and-ink images of Rome--with its ancient amphitheater, Colosseum, Temple of Hercules, elaborate fountains, and bustling cafes (with a feast of crumbs for a travel-weary pigeon)--provide a dazzling display of architectural finery. We are so swept up in the homing pigeon's divergent path--marked on the black-and-white vistas by a thin red line--that we momentarily forget she has a task at talon. All is explained in the uplifting one-word message joyfully delivered by the pigeon to the sketch artist (Macaulay himself?) shown at work in the last scene of the book. Read more

Reviews (3)

Great pictures, simple story, must-have for Rome fans
This book is a trip through Roma from a pigeon's point of view.The pigeon flies around, through, over and past many of Rome's historical landmarks, and a brief section in back describes their history and significance. The perfect engagement gift!
Share David MacAuley's obviously personal portrait of Rome.It's a portrait in the most obvious sense: lovingly detailed drawings of Rome's greatest architecture captured from MacAuley's witty and often weird perspective.But, through the drawings and the wonderful conceit, you see that this little book is also a personal exploration of a city that touches the heart.

"Rome Antics" for those in love with Rome and otherwise.
This is the finest illustrated gift book for the Romaphiles that you love!!Get it now and make a gift to the one you love.It will beappreciated for years to come. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - Birds    2. Art (paintingsculptureartistsarchitectureetc.)    3. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General    4. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    5. Children: Grades 1-2    6. Fiction    7. General    8. Homing pigeons    9. Juvenile Fiction    10. People & Places - Europe    11. Rome    12. Europe    13. European history: BCE to c 500 CE    14. Juvenile Fiction / Art & Architecture   

Reviews (3)

A classic for understanding building construction.
David Macaulay's incredible Unbuilding is a masterpiece of drawing.Occasionally the book on the disassembly of the Empire State building, purchased by an Arab shiek, will show a gorilla hand hanging over a ledge or beer cans lying around.Although in the post 9/11 era the conceit that the World Trade Center's removal sealed the deal may ring hollow, the book captured the culture of city planning decisions of the time.

There are Better Choices
It must have seemed like a good idea at the time, but somewhere between conception and execution Unbuilding unraveled.The drawings are, without a doubt, spectacular.The story is clever, but the love of the subjectmatter is missing.The story, at its most basic, is about the disassemblyof the Empire State Building.The details of its existence, however, arenowhere to be found. There is, for example, no information on how many tonsof steel were used; how many thousands of rivets.Missing too, are anyexplanations of mechanical systems such as how water was pumped tobathrooms one thousand feet off the ground, or how the elevators safely andefficiently carried their passengers up 85 stories.