The Brooklyn Bridge

the long version

"Hailed by some as the Eighth Wonder of the World when it opened in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge is one of the world's most recognizable and beloved icons." "Despite its impressive physical presence, however, Brooklyn's grand old bridge is much more than a testament to engineering and architectural achievement. As Richard Haw shows in this first-of-its-kind cultural history, the Brooklyn Bridge owes as much to the public's imagination as it does to the historical events and technical prowess that were integral to its construction." "Bringing together more than sixty images of the bridge that, over the years, have graced postcards, magazine covers, and book jackets and appeared in advertisements, cartoons, films, and photographs, Haw traces the diverse and sometimes jarring ways in which this majestic structure has been received, adopted, and interpreted as an American idea. Haw's account is not a history of how the bridge was made, but rather of what people have made of the Brooklyn Bridge - in film, music, literature, art, and politics - from its opening ceremonies to the blackout of 2003"--Jacket.