Nearest Thing to Heaven: The Empire State Building and American Dreams
by Mark Kingwell
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Description
A new perspective on a beloved cultural icon, its place in our history, and its meaning in the American imagination This elegantly written appreciation of the Empire State Building opens up the building's richness and importance as an icon of America. The book leads us through the facts surrounding the skyscraper's conception and construction, then enters into a provocative theoretical discussion of its function as an icon, its representation in pictures, literature, and film, and the show more implications of its iconic status as New York's most important architectural monument to ambition and optimism. The Empire State Building literally cannot be seen in its totality, from any perspective. And paradoxically, this building of unmistakable solidity has been made invisible by familiarity and reproduction through imagery. Mark Kingwell encourages us to look beneath the strong physical presence of the building, to become aware of its evolving layers of meaning, and to see how the building lives within a unique imaginative space in the landscape of the American consciousness. He offers new ways of understanding the Empire State Building in all its complexity and surprising insights into its special role as an American icon. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
A nice appreciation of the Empire State Building with a focus, both philosophical and cultural, on its iconic status.
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The Hermenautic Bookshelf
111 works; 7 members
Author Information
29+ Works 838 Members
Series
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Nearest Thing to Heaven: The Empire State Building and American Dreams
- Important places
- Empire State Building, New York, New York, USA
Classifications
- Genres
- Nonfiction, History, Art & Design, General Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 974.7 — History & geography History of North America Northeastern United States (New England and Middle Atlantic states) New York
- LCC
- F128.8 .E46 .K56 — Local History of the United States, Canada and Latin America United States local history New York
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 35
- Popularity
- 819,646
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (3.75)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 2
