Washington D.C. Books - Page 4

The Washington Century: Three Families and the Shaping of the Nation's Capital

Burt Solomon

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Well-written & hard to put down, mostly an "insiders'" book 5 out of 5 stars.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful.

This book takes an unusual approach to chronicling the 20th century history of Washington, DC, viewing it through the prism of the lives of three prominent families-the Cafritzes, real estate developers and philanthropists; the Boggses, politicians, lobbyists, and reporters; and the Hobsons, civil rights leaders and activists, both outside and inside "the system." Solomon had access to members of all three families, but the portraits are nonetheless critical, showing "warts and all" as well as intra-family disputes in the case of the Cafritz and Hobson families.

To some extent, this is a book written for Washington "insiders." That is, as I read the book, I wondered whether it would appeal to audiences who are less familiar with the District of Columbia and its environs. (I have lived in the Washington metropolitan area for 25 years and worked in D.C. for 12 years.) The Boggs family portrayal (including Hale and Lindy Boggs, both prominent members of the House of Representatives; Cokie and Steve Roberts, both nationally known reporters; and Tommy Boggs, an influential federal-level lobbyist) is apt to be of interest to the "outside the Beltway" audience, but the depictions of the Cafritz and Hobson families, whose sphere of influence has primarily been "inside the Beltway," may be less interesting to audiences less familiar with local history and geography.

Solomon has truly mined an impressive lode of documents and interviews in assembling this book, which has considerable "human interest" appeal. I found the book so captivating and well written that I had difficulty putting it down, and completed it in three days over the Christmas holiday. It is both well-written and compelling. It presents a useful chronicle of a number of developments-including the decline of bipartisan cooperation, the growing importance of money in Washington politics, and the decline of the middle class as a residential group inside the Beltway.

Editorial Review:

The Washington Century chronicles the hundred-year rise of the nation's capital as it grew to become the most powerful city in the world -- a story made vivid through the history of three very different families, each representing an essential aspect of Washington: the Cafritzes, headed by a real estate mogul and his consummate hostess wife; the Boggs family, a political force in the ultimate political town; and the Hobsons, lead by a prominent black activist and civic leader in the first black-majority American city. Veteran journalist Burt Solomon uses these families to explore everything from the customs of Washington's elite society to the expansion of the federal bureaucracy, the District's own struggle for self-governance, and the influential role that politics and, increasingly, lobbying have played in the city.

Washington in Maps: 1606-2000

Iris Miller

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Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 2.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Standing among the most important cities of the world, and a planned city from its inception, Washington, District of Columbia, is abundantly documented. In Washington in Maps, Iris Miller delves into this historic documentation, into sometimes rare and often buried maps and letters and charts, and reveals to us a brilliant portrait of this ever-evoloving capital of a nation.

Washington in Maps features, in full color, over 100 glorious maps, dating from the seventeenth century to the present, featuring the most splendid antique maps of Washington-to the extraordinary, otherworldly satellite imagery of today. Included are maps by Thomas Jefferson and Pierre Charles L'Enfant, the man upon whose design modern Washington now stands; a map of Captain John Smith from 1608; and maps by the Senate Park (McMillan) Commission, among many others.

Maps detail both the current reality of a place, and, as well, offer imaginative renderings of future possibility, in the process often becoming something of extraordinary beauty in their own right. Washington in Maps charts a passionate course through this terrain and serves as a testament to the wonder, artistry, and intelligence that these maps manifest.

Emily Donelson of Tennessee

Pauline Wilcox Burke

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

I am in love. 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 9 people found this review helpful.

This is the most beautiful book that has ever been written. I cried as I read it. My tears over it's beauty and poetry could fill the ocean (probably the Indian Ocean, because the Atlantic might be too big of a stretch.) I foresee a Nobel Prize for literature in its future. Even the cover of this book makes me tremble with delight. The buxom beauty is drawn with such classical perfection that I sigh with pleasure as i look upon her lily-white breast. Her story is told with such passion, such fervor, my palms filled with sweat merely holding this sacred book. I plead with all the world to read this novel! Oh, beauty, thy name is Emily Donelson

Washington, D.C. in Vintage Postcards (DC) (Postcard History)

Dale Floyd Gayle Floyd

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Editorial Review:

Created as a Federal City over two centuries ago, Washington, D.C., was designed by architect Pierre L’Enfant on land purchased by the government from Maryland and Virginia. L’Enfant’s vision of wide, tree-lined avenues, mixed with modifications by the McMillan Commission in the early 1900s and exemplified by many other architects and sculptors, has evolved into a unique, fast-paced, and politically focused Capital City of the United States of America.

The Nation and Its City: Politics, Corruption and Progress in Washington, D.C., 1861-1902

Alan Lessoff

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Editorial Review:

In this first study of the politics and policy-making behind the creation of "modern" Washington, Alan Lessoff explores a city that would seem an exception to the usual rules of urban development, one without industry and commercial growth to drive it. He argues, however, that this absence of typical economic interests allows a particularly clear view of politics and urban issues in the Gilded Age and Progressive Era. Explaining how government in post-Civil War Washington promoted prosperity, established aesthetic standards, protected health and safety, managed race relations, and resolved federal-local conflicts, Lessoff reveals the true character of American politics and policy-making in the period as never before.

"In completely recasting our understanding of Washington as it emerged as a modern city, Alan Lessoff has not only revised the history of the capital, but shed new light on a national political ethos that, in promoting improvement, often cast citizens in a secondary role. His study will challenge political scientists, historians, and urbanists to rethink their views of the Gilded Age."--Howard F. Gillette, Jr., George Washington University.

Through a Fiery Trial

Carlton Books LTD.

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

Disappointed 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Although I usually love detail in reading history, this book overwhelms with detail. I read 220 pages and then skimmed. It's true historians by profession should get more out of THROUGH A FIERY TRIAL, but for the average reader and lover of history which I am, this book is not for you.

Editorial Review:

Historians have dismissed the ten years it took to ready the new capital as nothing more than man's inability to tame a a swamp. In a brilliant narrative Bob Arnebeck shows how with slave axe-men, lawyers' writs, and speculators' greed a hilly, well wooded paradise was turned into a land of stumps ruts, shacks, and isolated mansions. The stories of the slaves and workers are a last told.

A Republic for the Ages: The United States Capitol and the Political Culture of the Early Republic (Perspectives on the American Revolution)

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Editorial Review:

This volume in the United States Capitol Historical Society's Perspectives on the American Revolution series explores how the architecture of the Capitol is imbued with the political culture of its time. Editor Donald R. Kennon writes, "Just as the constitutional framework for the new nation adapted and reformulated classical theories of republicanism, so too would the creation of its capital. The classical past would provide models, but ones to be worked out in the context of the new American experiment in republicanism." These essays emanate from the symposium held by the Society in 1993 to commemorate the bicentennial of the laying of the cornerstone of the United States Capitol.

11-S/ Nine Eleven (Biblioteca Tematica) (Spanish Edition)

Jean-jacques Greif

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Capital Tales: True Stories About Washington's Heroes, Villains & Belles

Maxine H. Atwater

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Frommer's(r) Washington, D.C. 2003

Elise Hartman Ford

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

absolutely fantastic 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I knew NOTHING of DC when I learned I had to attend a conference there. I purchased this edition of the Frommer's DC guide and the little bit of money I spent on it was well worth it!

I've never had to maneuver around a city without a vehicle and I was MOST worried about learning to use mass transit in DC. This guide calmed my fears about the Metrorail which was actually one of my favorite aspects of DC! I studied up on how things work and the tips saved me a lot of headaches. For example, one tip said to stand on the right of the escalators when exiting or entering the Metro station so that commuters in a hurry will be able to run up the left side. That one tip saved me from getting in the way of those who I know would have run over me!

I feel the ratings that the guide gives attractions are right on. Too many times, authors of guidebooks don't even visit an attraction and they just copy and paste a description that comes straight from the attraction itself. I've been to too many attractions that weren't worth my time, but who billed themselves as being worthwhile and exciting to visit. The writers of this guide have actually been to all of these attractions and are honest about what to see and what to skip.

I had two days outside of the conference I attended to do some sightseeing, but on some mornings and in the evenings during the conference, I had free time as well. The Frommer's guide gave me the information I needed regarding times and days that attractions were open. Also, knowing which ones were closer to the Metro stations was helpful when I knew I'd have limited time before I had to be back.

Even though the edition I used for this trip was at least a year old, I felt it was indispensable. I know one reason my trip was so wonderful is because of this book! The tips are very helpful. The writers are knowledgable. The information is correct. The only thing I would change would be the index - it could have been more comprehensive.

I've always relied on information from visitors' bureaus and tourist information spots when visiting a new city. However, those brochures and guidebooks are always written to glorify everything. They don't critique and they don't offer tips. After using the Frommer's guidebook, I'm a firm believer in avoiding visitors' bureaus and sticking to Frommer's.

Editorial Review:

Thoroughly updated every year, Frommer's Washington, DC features colour photos of the monuments and memorials, sights and experiences that await you. The author, a longtime resident, covers all the highlights, from the Smithsonian to springtime's glorious cherry blossoms. She's checked out all the city's best hotels and restaurants in person, and will help you find the choices that suit your tastes and budget. Her dining reviews encompass everything from the best power lunch spots to family-friendly choices, from affordable ethnic spots to trendy bistros opened by DC's hottest new chefs. This sightseeing guide also offers background stories and practical logistical tips, up-to-the-minute coverage of shopping and nightlife; detailed walking tours; accurate neighborhood maps; and side trips to Mount Vernon and Alexandria. There is also a colour fold-out map and an online directory to faciltate planning your trip.