High Above Manhattan

“It was, […] a building that would represent the United States, ‘a land which reached for the sky with its feet on the ground’” (5).

The Book

Mark Kingwell calls his book, Nearest Thing to Heaven: The Empire State Building, “a guided tour of the Empire State Building” (22). Kingwell provides the reader a history of the men involved, time period it was built, publicity, and the design. The driving force behind the creation was Alfred Smith, former governor of New York, and John Jakob Raskob, former employee of General Motors. Through their leadership, the Empire State Building took eighteen months to complete (four and a half stories a week), came in under budget, and ahead of schedule. All of this occurred during the Great Depression.

Kingwell looks at the Empire State Building as an icon, symbol, and phenomenon. He spends time on the skyscraper concept, architecture, and construction feats. The reader will read about the Empire State Building’s influence in culture, nostalgia, and film. We have a fascination with reaching the sky and the Empire State Building is a perfect example of that desire and a status symbol.  

Each chapter is interesting, however the book delves into political, social, and historical commentary. It would be nice to read more about the actual construction of the building and the people who worked on it. The guided tour is more a look at the Empire State Building’s place in culture and architecture history.

The Place

There are so many places to visit in New York City and you can easily spend a couple of days there. The Empire State Building can take up to half a day, depending on the time of year and day you plan to visit. Tickets are available online and at the Empire State Building. The inside is decorated in Art Deco, giving visitors a glimpse into the past. 

Once at the Observation Deck you can spend as much time as you want looking out at Manhattan. The views include: Lower Manhattan, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and other various New York City landmarks. It will be crowded at the top, but space will open up along the edges. Cloudless days are the best to visit the Empire State Building, because you will be able to see for miles. I recommend planning to spend at least an hour at the top. The views are truly stunning.

 

Intended for National Purposes

“No matter how many times he visited the National Cathedral, there was always something else to observe, to learn from, to wonder at” (186).

The Book

Murder at the National Cathedral by Margaret Truman (the daughter of President Harry S. Truman) opens with a wedding at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC and ends with the solving of two murders. One murder victim is found in the National Cathedral, another in an English countryside church. The story follows law professor Mackensie Smith, who is a recurring character of Truman’s, as he investigates the murders and provides legal counsel to the National Cathedral.

Truman does a good job of drawing the reader into the action. Several of the characters have already been introduced in previous books, but a reader does not need to know all the details while reading Murder at the National Cathedral. Any significant details are written in a way to catch a new reader up to speed and gently remind a returning reader.

The Place

In Pierre L’Enfant’s 1791 Plan for the City of Washington, he said, “This church is intended for national purposes…and assigned to the special use of no particular sect or denomination, but equally open to all.”

The Washington National Cathedral is a beautiful place to visit. The design reminds visitors of European churches, even though the National Cathedral was begun in 1907. It is a fully functioning church as well as a tourist destination. There is a fee for sightseeing, but if a visitor wants to worship or pray in the many chapels that is free.

The National Cathedral is located fifteen minutes northwest of the National Mall. There are several varieties of tours that are available as well as changing exhibits. The tours include behind the scenes, music demonstrations, the gardens, and a climb up to the bell chamber.