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Eiffel's tower : and the World's Fair where Buffalo Bill beguiled Paris, the artists quarreled, and Thomas Edison became a count

by Jonnes, Jill, 1952-

Format: Print Book 2009
Availability: Available at 7 Libraries 7 of 8 copies

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Bethel Park Public Library Nonfiction 907.4 JO
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Brentwood Library Nonfiction 944.361 Jonnes
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Community Library of Castle Shannon Non Fiction 907.4 Jonnes
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Dormont Public Library Non-Fiction 907.4 J73
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Northern Tier Regional Library Nonfiction 907.4 JONNE
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Summary
Since it opened in May 1889, the Eiffel Tower has become an iconic image of modern times - as much a beacon of technological progress as an enduring symbol of Paris and French culture. But as engineer Gustave Eiffel built the now-famous landmark to be the spectacular centrepiece of the 1889 World's Fair, he stirred up a storm of vitriol from Parisian tastemakers, law-suits and predictions of a certain structural calamity. A compelling account of the tower's creation as well as a superb portrait of Belle Epoque France.
Contents
We meet our characters, who intend to dazzle the world at the Paris Exposition
Gustave Eiffel and "the odious column of bolted metal"
Troubles on the tower
"The first elevator of its kind"
In which the artists quarrel and the tower opens
Buffalo Bill and Annie Oakley triumphant
Gustave Eiffel holds court amid the art wars
The monarchs of the world ascend the republican tower
In which Thomas Edison hails the Eiffel Tower and becomes an Italian Count
Rosa Bonheur meets Buffalo Bill.
Published Reviews
Booklist Review: "The wrought-iron Eiffel Tower, now widely regarded as one of the world's most beautiful and iconic structures, was ridiculed and derided when it was first proposed. Not long after Gustave Eiffel, an engineer and builder of railway bridges, won the contract to build a centerpiece attraction for the 1889 World's Fair, he faced a barrage of criticism of its design as well as financial, architectural, mechanical, and political obstacles to its construction. Jonnes, author of Conquering Gotham (2007), captures the verve and personality of the Belle Epoque as Paris struggled to show the world its glory. She chronicles worker strikes, cost overruns, and lawsuits as the 1,000-foot tower, an engineering marvel of the time, slowly rose in height and appreciation as the date of the fair approached. Jonnes details the iconic figures who added to the allure of the fair James McNeill Whistler, Paul Gauguin, Thomas Edison, Annie Oakley, and Buffalo Bill and the excitement and ambitions of the era.--Bush, Vanessa Copyright 2009 Booklist"
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Publisher's Weekly Review: "A colorful cast of characters descended on Paris for the 1889 World's Fair, and Jonnes (Conquering Gotham) offers an atmospheric overview of the celebrities who made belle epoque Paris their stage during the memorable event. Annie Oakley amazed crowds with her precisely executed shots. Thomas Edison, a master at promoting both himself and modern technology, chafed at the leisurely French way of life, delighted the masses with his phonograph and chatted with Louis Pasteur at his institute. Paul Gauguin was enthralled by a troupe of Javanese temple dancers and miffed that the Americans only intended to exhibit 17 of his 27 etchings, while James McNeill Whistler, who delighted in provocations and feuds, decamped to the British, who displayed even fewer of his works. The fair's undisputed main attraction both at the fair and in Jonnes's account, was the controversial wrought-iron tower of unprecedented height that, Jonnes says, appeals for both its technological genius and its "aerial playfulness and charm." It perfectly embodies "the triumph of the modern" that Jonnes so well captures in her sprightly account. Photos. (May 4) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved"
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Additional Information
Subjects Eiffel, Gustave, -- 1832-1923.
Paris World's Fair -- (1889)
Tour Eiffel (Paris, France)
Publisher New York :Viking,2009
Language English
Description 354 pages : illustrations, map ; 25 cm
Bibliography Notes Includes bibliographical references (pages [317]-337) and index.
ISBN 9780670020607 (hardcover)
0670020605 (hardcover)
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