Reviews for Eiffel's Tower: And the World's Fair Where Buffalo Bill Beguiled Paris, the Artists Quarreled, and Thomas Edison Became a Count

The average rating for Eiffel's Tower: And the World's Fair Where Buffalo Bill Beguiled Paris, the Artists Quarreled, and Thomas Edison Became a Count based on 2 reviews is 2.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2012-06-29 00:00:00 Ed Damptz I wanted to like this book. I really, really did. It's about the Eiffel Tower, afterall, and I LOVE the Eiffel Tower. Sadly, I can't finish this book (although I'm giving myself credit for finishing it because it feels like I've been reading it for an eternity). The author's writing style is very jarring. She jumps from topic to topic without warning, leaving the reader thinking, "Wait a minute...we were just talking about the Eiffel Tower and now we are talking about Annie Oakley. Where was the transition?!" I felt like I was constantly going back to the previous paragraph to make sure I didn't miss something. I will give the author credit for painting a vivid picture of the frantic, harsh working conditions that the workers faced while constructing the Eiffel Tower. I had no idea that the Tower was built under such rushed, ever-changing, brutal conditions. The fact that only two people died under those conditions is astonishing. I also enjoyed reading about Eiffel's relationship with Otis Elevator. I work at UTC (the parent company of Otis Elevator), so I enjoyed learning a little more about one of our subsidiaries. I'm proud to work for a company that has been innovative and cutting-edge for over a century, and that our technology is part of what was, at the time, the tallest structure in the world, and is to this day an internationally recognized symbol of one of the world's most fascinating cities. Ultimately, this author's writing style turned me off from finishing this book. I would have enjoyed learning more about the Eiffel Tower and the Paris Worlds Fair, but became far too frustrated with the abrupt changes of topic.

Review # 2 was written on 2009-06-14 00:00:00 Scott Smith I actually liked this one better than Devil in the White City. I liked the part of Devil in the White City that was about the fair more than the part about the serial killer. And this one is almost entirely about the Exposition Universelle of 1889. A large part of Eiffel's Tower (actually, a very large part, thinking about it) sets the time and place for us. And it was a very interesting time and place. Coverage I would describe as not superficial and the writing I found fairly engaging. I would recommend this one.