Eiffel's Tower : The Thrilling Story Behind Paris's Beloved Monument and the Extraordinary World's Fair That Introduced It

The story of the world-famous monument and the extraordinary world’s fair that introduced it, by the author of Conquering Gotham and Urban Forests In this first general history of the Eiffel Tower in English, Jill Jonnes-acclaimed author of Conquering Gotham -offers an eye- opening look not only at the construction of one of the modern world's most iconic structures, but also the epochal event that surrounded its arrival as a wonder of the world. In this marvelously entertaining portrait of Belle Époque France, fear and loathing over Eiffel's brash design share the spotlight with the celebrities that made the 1889 Exposition Universelle an event to remember-including Buffalo Bill and his sharpshooter Annie Oakley, Thomas Edison, and artists Whistler, Gauguin, and van Gogh. Eiffel's Tower is a richly textured portrait of an era at the dawn of modernity, reveling in the limitless promise of the future. The story of the world-famous monument and the extraordinary worlds fair that introduced itSince it opened in May 1889, the Eiffel Tower has been an iconic image of modern timesas 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 centerpiece of the 1889 Worlds Fair, he stirred up a storm of vitriol from Parisian tastemakers, lawsuits, and predictions of certain structural calamity.In Eiffels Tower, Jill Jonnes, critically acclaimed author of Conquering Gotham, presents a compelling account of the towers creation and a superb portrait of Belle Epoque France. As Eiffel held court that summer atop his one-thousand-foot tower, a remarkable host of artists and personalitiesBuffalo Bill, Annie Oakley, Gauguin, Whistler, and Edisontraveled to Paris and the Exposition Universelle to mingle and make their mark.Like The Devil in the White City, Brunelleschis Dome, and David McCulloughs accounts of the building of the Panama Canal and the Brooklyn Bridge, Eiffels Tower combines technological and social history and biography to create a richly textured portrayal of an age of aspiration, dreams, and progress. The story of the world-famous monument and the extraordinary world's fair that introduced it, by the author of Conquering Gotham and Urban Forests In this first general history of the Eiffel Tower in English, Jill Jonnes-acclaimed author of Conquering Gotham-offers an eye- opening look not only at the construction of one of the modern world's most iconic structures, but also the epochal event that surrounded its arrival as a wonder of the world. In this marvelously entertaining portrait of Belle Époque France, fear and loathing over Eiffel's brash design share the spotlight with the celebrities that made the 1889 Exposition Universelle an event to remember-including Buffalo Bill and his sharpshooter Annie Oakley, Thomas Edison, and artists Whistler, Gauguin, and van Gogh. Eiffel's Tower is a richly textured portrait of an era at the dawn of modernity, reveling in the limitless promise of the future.From the Trade Paperback edition Presents a compelling account of the Eiffel Tower's creation and a superb portrait of Belle Epoque France. As Gustave Eiffel held court that summer atop his one-thousand-foot tower, a remarkable host of artists and personalities--Buffalo Bill, Annie Oakley, Gauguin, Whistler, and Edison--traveled to Paris and the Exposition Universelle (1889 World's Fair) to mingle and make their mark