Review by Booklist Review
From ancient Egypt's great pyramids to medieval Europe's cathedral towers, humans have always tried to build structures that reach the sky, whether out of practicality or hubris. This book showcases 13 of the world's best-known and most influential skyscrapers. Buildings from across the world are included the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, the neofuturist Shard in London, the Shanghai Tower although over half, from the Woolworth Building to One World Trade Center, are in New York. In clearly designed, well laid-out pages, each skyscraper is accompanied by a box that provides quick details (date of construction, architectural style, designer, height), while a time line at the top contextualizes the building. Colored and black-and-white photos provide skyline images as well as detailed views. Disappointingly, but not unpredictably, there are no female architects included, even among the later structures. Still, fascinating anecdotes about the state of the world during each building's inception make this an interesting read, and it provides plenty of valuable information, both at a glance and for more in-depth study.--Reagan, Maggie Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Horn Book Review
This volume introduces over a century of urban architecture with striking photographs, key facts, running timelines, and descriptions of the skyscrapers' designs and constructions. The coverage of the thirteen selected buildings reveals broader political, economic, and social histories. Design choices for the series, such as asterisks for glossary terms, only slightly detract from an overall attractive and informative package. Glos. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
