The World Trade Center Remembered

author: Sonja Bullaty

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.40

book published: 2001

rating: 4

read at: 2014/04/24

date added: 2014/04/24

shelves: non-fiction

review:

'The World Trade Center Remembered' is an interesting and moving book. It almost plays as a memorial to the buildings, something that is referred to by Paul Goldberger in his excellent essay. The 72 photos in the book by Sonja Bullaty and Angelo Lomeo show the building intact and from all surrounding directions. That they dominated the skyline, even for city dwellers, is evident. That their lack is felt is unspoken, but also evident.



In Paul Goldberger's text, he gives a history of the building. He tells of the bid for construction and what it meant to Radio Row. How it was briefly the tallest building in the world, and among the last tallest buildings we have built in the United States. He talks about the criticism, inluding his, of the stark and bland architecture of these two imposing monoliths. But architecture, especially large buildings, is not an artform that can be chosen to be ignored, and, over time, these buildings became part of the skyline. Their destruction on 9/11 left a hole. This book attempts to show the building in earlier and happier times.



The photos are arranged by the direction they are taken in and they show the buildings in all sorts of light. There is a somberness to this even all these years later. Perhaps there always will be for those of us who associate these buildings with the skyline of New York.



I was given a review copy of this ebook by Abbeville Press and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this book.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/QDuRC0