The Empire State Building - by John Tauranac (Paperback)

About the Book

A landmark book on one of the world's most notable landmarks.

Book Synopsis

The Empire State Building is the landmark book on one of the world's most notable landmarks. Since its publication in 1995, John Tauranac's book, focused on the inception and construction of the building, has stood as the most comprehensive account of the structure. Moreover, it is far more than a work in architectural history; Tauranac tells a larger story of the politics of urban development in and through the interwar years. In a new epilogue to the Cornell edition, Tauranac highlights the continuing resonance and influence of the Empire State Building in the rapidly changing post-9/11 cityscape.

Review Quotes

The Empire State Building is a methodically researched, richly informative account of the raising of the world's most famous skyscraper.

-- "Chicago Tribune"

A building that is a movie star unto itself deserves a writer of such contagious enthusiasm as Tauranac. This book is a fascinating, self-propelling, and definitive history of the building.

-- "Booklist"

Although the Empire State Building is no longer the tallest building in the world (or even in New York City), it remains mythical, iconic. This entrancing book is at once an appreciation of the structure as a practical work of art and an exploration of the building's role in the city and the world.

-- "New Yorker"

Tauranac combines fine scholarship with a storyteller's gift for entertainment. The Empire State Building is a basic reference on twentieth-century architecture and urban development.

-- "Journal of American History"

Tauranac knows the architecture and buildings of New York as few do. He takes us through the story of the skyscraper as a form, the zoning that emerged to control the tall buildings, the real-estate boom of the twenties, the history of the site, the careers of John J. Raskob and Al Smith and the architects and builders who designed and erected the building, and the building's subsequent career.

-- "New York Times Book Review"

Tauranac's book is a vivid characterization of the skyscraper as romantic phenomenon. As such it demonstrates unfailingly why the Empire State Building has yet to relinquish its grip on the imagination.

-- "Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians"

When the 1250-foot Empire State Building opened in the Depression year of 1931, it was the world's tallest building. Today, it retains a special place in the heart of New Yorkers. Tauranac has written an informative and exciting biography of Manhattan's most famous building.

-- "Publishers Weekly"

About the Author

John Tauranac writes on New York's architectural history, teaches and lectures on the subject, gives tours of the city, and is a mapmaker. In 1997, he was the guest curator of A Dream Well Planned: The Empire State Building at the Museum of the City of New York. His books include New York from the Air, Elegant New York, Essential New York, and Seeing New York. He has contributed to the New York Times, the New York Observer, New York Newsday, New York Magazine, Travel & Leisure, Seaport, Avenue Magazine, and other publications. Tauranac is an adjunct associate professor at NYU's School of Continuing and Professional Studies.