Liberty Book

Liberty by Lynn Curlee tells the story of the construction of the Statue of Liberty. Among the topics covered are the statue's French origins, a biographical sketch of the statue's creator, Auguste Bartholdi, the political climate at the time, the search for funding, and the technical details of the statue's planning, construction, and restoration. Although primarily concerned with discussing an important American symbol, the book also touches upon history, engineering, and other topics. For example, Curlee describes the statue's French heritage by explaining a bit of the historical events that led to its construction: "The French Revolution, though originally based upon ideals of liberty, equality, and brotherhood, had led instead to a bloody Reign of Terror, the disastrous wars of Napoleon, and decades of bad government. Many patriotic Frenchmen longed for a republic patterned on that of America to replace their current regime, the Second Empire of Napoleon III" (2).

Curlee provides in-depth coverage of his subject, dotting his informative text with fascinating details and thought-provoking discussion of this marvelous feat of engineering and art. For instance, readers will learn the statue is modeled after one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the Colossus of Rhodes. A discussion of the need for funds ("statues cost money") reveals the interesting fact that money was gathered directly from American citizens due to a plea by Joseph Pulitzer in his newspaper when the project was close to being scrapped. Detailed specifications of the statue's cost, dimensions, the materials used, and the manpower needed for construction are provided, and are also listed in a handy reference chart in the book's back matter. As Publisher's Weekly notes, Curlee "is particularly adept at explaining the engineering difficulties involved in putting together and supporting a statue that soars more that 150 feet tall and weighs more than 32 tons" (Amazon.com 2004). Children will learn about construction techniques including repousse work and the designing of an internal iron framework. These rather complex techniques and others are discussed with finesse and are easily made accessible to young audiences.

Curlee has made a superb effort to maintain factual accuracy in his book. The inclusion of specific facts, details, and specifications lend credence to the work. Sources are listed at the end of the book in a bibliography, and a specific timeline is provided to help students who are trying to keep dates straight. A few direct quotes are also included. The book is also successful on an aesthetic level. Curlee's text is free-flowing and engaging and is free from bias and personal commentary. To lend a touch of the arts to the book, Curlee includes a poem by Emma Lazarus entitled "The New Colossus":

"'Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!' cries she
With silent lips. 'Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" (Unpaged)

Curlee's accompanying acrylic paintings are rich in color and are done in a distinctly realistic style. In many frames, as noted by Publisher's Weekly, the perspective is such that the viewer is looking up at the statue, as if to admire her towering grace and majesty. The illustrations match the accuracy of the text. People are shown dressed in the style of the times, in suits and cravats. Illustrations of the statue's early stages show how it would have looked before the copper weathered, while illustrations of the restoration process show it as the familiar green. A sense of the statue's size is also provided, as we see how large the head is compared to the horses that are dragging it across a bridge.

Liberty is an exciting look at an important American symbol and would be an ideal purchase for any school or public library.