From the Alamo and Gettysburg to Mount Rushmore and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Monuments is celebrated architectural historian Judith Dupré’s sweeping tribute to classic American landmarks. But included too are contemporary monuments that are changing the way we think about commemoration–the AIDS Quilt, a traveling memorial made for the people by the people, and even the haunting lyrics of Bruce Springsteen’s “The Rising,” an intangible remembrance of September 11th. Monuments features more than 200 stunning duotone photographs, as well as fascinating stories, rare illustrations, candid interviews with artists and architects, and a unique chronology of milestones in the history of time and memory. Ultimately, Monuments is about life. It tells the stories of real people, the ordinary and the renowned, whose lives, though immortalized, exist most fully in the mind and heart. Monuments is a book that goes beyond historical fact to touch what is eternal and transcendent about humanity.

To view images from Monuments, visit:

http://www.randomhouse.com/rhpg/monuments/

Praise for Judith Dupré:

“Dupré makes the most of a century of neck-craning architecture.”

–The Washington Post, on Skyscrapers

“Judith Dupré captivates the eye, mind and imagination.”

–The New York Times, on Bridges

“Magisterial, meticulously researched, and handsomely illustrated.”

–O: The Oprah Magazine, on Churches

"This visually arresting book is vintage Dupr (Churches; Skyscrapers). The stylish architectural historian examines 37 monuments (from the Liberty Bell and the Alamo to Oklahoma City) for what they reveal about those they commemorate, those who designed them and those who visit them. Dupr decodes monument symbolism (when a soldier is mounted on a horse, the number of hooves planted on the ground indicates whether the rider survived the conflict being commemorated), and she sheds light on commemoration controversies, such as the 1990s debate over erecting a statue of Arthur Ashe on Richmond's Monument Avenue, which had previously been dedicated to Confederate leaders. She addresses 'sites of shame,' like Manzanar National Historical Site (where Japanese-Americans were interned during WWII), that recall events many people would rather forget. The 180-plus black-and-white photos are as absorbing as the text, and additional material, like an interview with a stone carver who worked on the National World War II Memorial in D.C., enriches the volume. The foreword is the only disappointment. This ode to 9/11 begins on a stale note, recalling innocent 9/10 and trotting out clichs like 'Monuments are history made visible.' But that's a minor flaw in a lavish, thoughtful tome." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

From the award-winning, bestselling author of "Skyscrapers, Churches," and "Bridges" comes a stunning visual history that serves as a tribute to classic American landmarks.