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  <title><![CDATA[Higher: A Historic Race to the Sky and the Making of a City]]></title>
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    <![CDATA[Higher: A Historic Race to the Sky and the Making of a City]]>
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    <![CDATA[<p>The Roaring Twenties in New York was a time of exuberant ambition, free-flowing optimism, an explosion of artistic expression in the age of Prohibition. New York was the city that embodied the spirit and strength of a newly powerful America.  <br/><br/>In 1924, in the vibrant heart of Manhattan, a fierce rivalry was born.  Two architects, William Van Alen and Craig Severance (former friends and successful partners, but now bitter adversaries), set out to imprint their individual marks on the greatest canvas in the world--the rapidly evolving skyline of New York City.  Each man desired to build the city&#8217;s tallest building, or &#8216;skyscraper.&#8217;  Each would stop at nothing to outdo his rival.<br/><br/>Van Alen was a creative genius who envisioned a bold, contemporary building that would move beyond the tired architecture of the previous century.  By a stroke of good fortune he found a larger-than-life patron in automobile magnate Walter Chrysler, and they set out to build the legendary Chrysler building.  Severance, by comparison, was a brilliant businessman, and he tapped his circle of downtown, old-money investors to begin construction on the Manhattan Company Building at 40 Wall Street.  <br/><br/>From ground-breaking to bricklaying, Van Alen and Severance fought a cunning duel of wills. Each man was forced to revamp his architectural design in an attempt to push higher, to overcome his rival in mid-construction, as the structures rose, floor by floor, in record time.  Yet just as the battle was underway, a third party entered the arena and announced plans to build an even larger building.  This project would be overseen by one of Chrysler&#8217;s principal rivals--a representative of the General Motors group--and the building ultimately became known as The Empire State Building.<br/><br/>Infused with narrative thrills and perfectly rendered historical and engineering detail,<em> Higher</em> brings to life a sensational episode in American history. Author Neal Bascomb interweaves characters such as Al Smith and Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt, leading up to an astonishing climax that illustrates one of the most ingenious (and secret) architectural achievements of all time.</p>]]>
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  <read_at>Sat Feb 02 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
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    <body><![CDATA[The 1920's was all about reaching new heights in America - the roaring 20's emphasized a fast-paced lifestyle where there were no limits. It was this &quot;anything goes&quot; attitude that led to the construction of skyscrapers in New York City that were just as much a symbol of the times as they w...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/13611324">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[Higher: A Historic Race to the Sky and the Making of a City]]>
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    <![CDATA[<p>The Roaring Twenties in New York was a time of exuberant ambition, free-flowing optimism, an explosion of artistic expression in the age of Prohibition. New York was the city that embodied the spirit and strength of a newly powerful America.  <br/><br/>In 1924, in the vibrant heart of Manhattan, a fierce rivalry was born.  Two architects, William Van Alen and Craig Severance (former friends and successful partners, but now bitter adversaries), set out to imprint their individual marks on the greatest canvas in the world--the rapidly evolving skyline of New York City.  Each man desired to build the city&#8217;s tallest building, or &#8216;skyscraper.&#8217;  Each would stop at nothing to outdo his rival.<br/><br/>Van Alen was a creative genius who envisioned a bold, contemporary building that would move beyond the tired architecture of the previous century.  By a stroke of good fortune he found a larger-than-life patron in automobile magnate Walter Chrysler, and they set out to build the legendary Chrysler building.  Severance, by comparison, was a brilliant businessman, and he tapped his circle of downtown, old-money investors to begin construction on the Manhattan Company Building at 40 Wall Street.  <br/><br/>From ground-breaking to bricklaying, Van Alen and Severance fought a cunning duel of wills. Each man was forced to revamp his architectural design in an attempt to push higher, to overcome his rival in mid-construction, as the structures rose, floor by floor, in record time.  Yet just as the battle was underway, a third party entered the arena and announced plans to build an even larger building.  This project would be overseen by one of Chrysler&#8217;s principal rivals--a representative of the General Motors group--and the building ultimately became known as The Empire State Building.<br/><br/>Infused with narrative thrills and perfectly rendered historical and engineering detail,<em> Higher</em> brings to life a sensational episode in American history. Author Neal Bascomb interweaves characters such as Al Smith and Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt, leading up to an astonishing climax that illustrates one of the most ingenious (and secret) architectural achievements of all time.</p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[About NYC skyscrapers in the late 1800s/early 1920s.  If you are interested in the subject, it is worth the read (but is still a slow, dense read).  ]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[Higher: A Historic Race to the Sky and the Making of a City]]>
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    <![CDATA[<p>The Roaring Twenties in New York was a time of exuberant ambition, free-flowing optimism, an explosion of artistic expression in the age of Prohibition. New York was the city that embodied the spirit and strength of a newly powerful America.  <br/><br/>In 1924, in the vibrant heart of Manhattan, a fierce rivalry was born.  Two architects, William Van Alen and Craig Severance (former friends and successful partners, but now bitter adversaries), set out to imprint their individual marks on the greatest canvas in the world--the rapidly evolving skyline of New York City.  Each man desired to build the city&#8217;s tallest building, or &#8216;skyscraper.&#8217;  Each would stop at nothing to outdo his rival.<br/><br/>Van Alen was a creative genius who envisioned a bold, contemporary building that would move beyond the tired architecture of the previous century.  By a stroke of good fortune he found a larger-than-life patron in automobile magnate Walter Chrysler, and they set out to build the legendary Chrysler building.  Severance, by comparison, was a brilliant businessman, and he tapped his circle of downtown, old-money investors to begin construction on the Manhattan Company Building at 40 Wall Street.  <br/><br/>From ground-breaking to bricklaying, Van Alen and Severance fought a cunning duel of wills. Each man was forced to revamp his architectural design in an attempt to push higher, to overcome his rival in mid-construction, as the structures rose, floor by floor, in record time.  Yet just as the battle was underway, a third party entered the arena and announced plans to build an even larger building.  This project would be overseen by one of Chrysler&#8217;s principal rivals--a representative of the General Motors group--and the building ultimately became known as The Empire State Building.<br/><br/>Infused with narrative thrills and perfectly rendered historical and engineering detail,<em> Higher</em> brings to life a sensational episode in American history. Author Neal Bascomb interweaves characters such as Al Smith and Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt, leading up to an astonishing climax that illustrates one of the most ingenious (and secret) architectural achievements of all time.</p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[Hard to imagine the world before skyscrapers but this book certainly conveys a different time. Good book if you like both architecture and history.]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[<p>The Roaring Twenties in New York was a time of exuberant ambition, free-flowing optimism, an explosion of artistic expression in the age of Prohibition. New York was the city that embodied the spirit and strength of a newly powerful America.  <br/><br/>In 1924, in the vibrant heart of Manhattan, a fierce rivalry was born.  Two architects, William Van Alen and Craig Severance (former friends and successful partners, but now bitter adversaries), set out to imprint their individual marks on the greatest canvas in the world--the rapidly evolving skyline of New York City.  Each man desired to build the city&#8217;s tallest building, or &#8216;skyscraper.&#8217;  Each would stop at nothing to outdo his rival.<br/><br/>Van Alen was a creative genius who envisioned a bold, contemporary building that would move beyond the tired architecture of the previous century.  By a stroke of good fortune he found a larger-than-life patron in automobile magnate Walter Chrysler, and they set out to build the legendary Chrysler building.  Severance, by comparison, was a brilliant businessman, and he tapped his circle of downtown, old-money investors to begin construction on the Manhattan Company Building at 40 Wall Street.  <br/><br/>From ground-breaking to bricklaying, Van Alen and Severance fought a cunning duel of wills. Each man was forced to revamp his architectural design in an attempt to push higher, to overcome his rival in mid-construction, as the structures rose, floor by floor, in record time.  Yet just as the battle was underway, a third party entered the arena and announced plans to build an even larger building.  This project would be overseen by one of Chrysler&#8217;s principal rivals--a representative of the General Motors group--and the building ultimately became known as The Empire State Building.<br/><br/>Infused with narrative thrills and perfectly rendered historical and engineering detail,<em> Higher</em> brings to life a sensational episode in American history. Author Neal Bascomb interweaves characters such as Al Smith and Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt, leading up to an astonishing climax that illustrates one of the most ingenious (and secret) architectural achievements of all time.</p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[The amazing story of the building of the Chrysler building and its unusual connections to Kansas.]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[Higher: A Historic Race to the Sky and the Making of a City]]>
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    <![CDATA[<p>The Roaring Twenties in New York was a time of exuberant ambition, free-flowing optimism, an explosion of artistic expression in the age of Prohibition. New York was the city that embodied the spirit and strength of a newly powerful America.  <br/><br/>In 1924, in the vibrant heart of Manhattan, a fierce rivalry was born.  Two architects, William Van Alen and Craig Severance (former friends and successful partners, but now bitter adversaries), set out to imprint their individual marks on the greatest canvas in the world--the rapidly evolving skyline of New York City.  Each man desired to build the city&#8217;s tallest building, or &#8216;skyscraper.&#8217;  Each would stop at nothing to outdo his rival.<br/><br/>Van Alen was a creative genius who envisioned a bold, contemporary building that would move beyond the tired architecture of the previous century.  By a stroke of good fortune he found a larger-than-life patron in automobile magnate Walter Chrysler, and they set out to build the legendary Chrysler building.  Severance, by comparison, was a brilliant businessman, and he tapped his circle of downtown, old-money investors to begin construction on the Manhattan Company Building at 40 Wall Street.  <br/><br/>From ground-breaking to bricklaying, Van Alen and Severance fought a cunning duel of wills. Each man was forced to revamp his architectural design in an attempt to push higher, to overcome his rival in mid-construction, as the structures rose, floor by floor, in record time.  Yet just as the battle was underway, a third party entered the arena and announced plans to build an even larger building.  This project would be overseen by one of Chrysler&#8217;s principal rivals--a representative of the General Motors group--and the building ultimately became known as The Empire State Building.<br/><br/>Infused with narrative thrills and perfectly rendered historical and engineering detail,<em> Higher</em> brings to life a sensational episode in American history. Author Neal Bascomb interweaves characters such as Al Smith and Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt, leading up to an astonishing climax that illustrates one of the most ingenious (and secret) architectural achievements of all time.</p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[Great book on early 20th century New York.]]></body>
    
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Higher: A Historic Race to the Sky and the Making of a City]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>3.75</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[<p>The Roaring Twenties in New York was a time of exuberant ambition, free-flowing optimism, an explosion of artistic expression in the age of Prohibition. New York was the city that embodied the spirit and strength of a newly powerful America.  <br/><br/>In 1924, in the vibrant heart of Manhattan, a fierce rivalry was born.  Two architects, William Van Alen and Craig Severance (former friends and successful partners, but now bitter adversaries), set out to imprint their individual marks on the greatest canvas in the world--the rapidly evolving skyline of New York City.  Each man desired to build the city&#8217;s tallest building, or &#8216;skyscraper.&#8217;  Each would stop at nothing to outdo his rival.<br/><br/>Van Alen was a creative genius who envisioned a bold, contemporary building that would move beyond the tired architecture of the previous century.  By a stroke of good fortune he found a larger-than-life patron in automobile magnate Walter Chrysler, and they set out to build the legendary Chrysler building.  Severance, by comparison, was a brilliant businessman, and he tapped his circle of downtown, old-money investors to begin construction on the Manhattan Company Building at 40 Wall Street.  <br/><br/>From ground-breaking to bricklaying, Van Alen and Severance fought a cunning duel of wills. Each man was forced to revamp his architectural design in an attempt to push higher, to overcome his rival in mid-construction, as the structures rose, floor by floor, in record time.  Yet just as the battle was underway, a third party entered the arena and announced plans to build an even larger building.  This project would be overseen by one of Chrysler&#8217;s principal rivals--a representative of the General Motors group--and the building ultimately became known as The Empire State Building.<br/><br/>Infused with narrative thrills and perfectly rendered historical and engineering detail,<em> Higher</em> brings to life a sensational episode in American history. Author Neal Bascomb interweaves characters such as Al Smith and Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt, leading up to an astonishing climax that illustrates one of the most ingenious (and secret) architectural achievements of all time.</p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2003</published>
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    <rating>3</rating>
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  <read_at>Thu Nov 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Aug 12 08:04:39 -0700 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Dec 17 04:49:38 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I'm not quite sure what I was expecting with this book. For some reason the Empire State Building took me by surprise. The book was fairly well written and an interesting piece of  American history. It was a bit removed from the characters for my taste, but it had wonderful building details (the act...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4427037">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4427037]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>9633244</id>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Higher: A Historic Race to the Sky and the Making of a City]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>3.75</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>53</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<p>The Roaring Twenties in New York was a time of exuberant ambition, free-flowing optimism, an explosion of artistic expression in the age of Prohibition. New York was the city that embodied the spirit and strength of a newly powerful America.  <br/><br/>In 1924, in the vibrant heart of Manhattan, a fierce rivalry was born.  Two architects, William Van Alen and Craig Severance (former friends and successful partners, but now bitter adversaries), set out to imprint their individual marks on the greatest canvas in the world--the rapidly evolving skyline of New York City.  Each man desired to build the city&#8217;s tallest building, or &#8216;skyscraper.&#8217;  Each would stop at nothing to outdo his rival.<br/><br/>Van Alen was a creative genius who envisioned a bold, contemporary building that would move beyond the tired architecture of the previous century.  By a stroke of good fortune he found a larger-than-life patron in automobile magnate Walter Chrysler, and they set out to build the legendary Chrysler building.  Severance, by comparison, was a brilliant businessman, and he tapped his circle of downtown, old-money investors to begin construction on the Manhattan Company Building at 40 Wall Street.  <br/><br/>From ground-breaking to bricklaying, Van Alen and Severance fought a cunning duel of wills. Each man was forced to revamp his architectural design in an attempt to push higher, to overcome his rival in mid-construction, as the structures rose, floor by floor, in record time.  Yet just as the battle was underway, a third party entered the arena and announced plans to build an even larger building.  This project would be overseen by one of Chrysler&#8217;s principal rivals--a representative of the General Motors group--and the building ultimately became known as The Empire State Building.<br/><br/>Infused with narrative thrills and perfectly rendered historical and engineering detail,<em> Higher</em> brings to life a sensational episode in American history. Author Neal Bascomb interweaves characters such as Al Smith and Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt, leading up to an astonishing climax that illustrates one of the most ingenious (and secret) architectural achievements of all time.</p>]]>
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  <published>2003</published>
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    <rating>2</rating>
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  <date_added>Tue Nov 27 19:44:17 -0800 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Dec 27 15:44:41 -0800 2007</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This book was a bit disjointed--I kept falling asleep as I was reading it and losing my place. When I tried to pick up where I left off, I couldn't find my place. The author jumped around from character to character and time frame to time frame so much--I had to take it back to the library before I ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/9633244">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/9633244]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>31936006</id>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Higher: A Historic Race to the Sky and the Making of a City]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>3.75</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>53</ratings_count>
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    <![CDATA[<p>The Roaring Twenties in New York was a time of exuberant ambition, free-flowing optimism, an explosion of artistic expression in the age of Prohibition. New York was the city that embodied the spirit and strength of a newly powerful America.  <br/><br/>In 1924, in the vibrant heart of Manhattan, a fierce rivalry was born.  Two architects, William Van Alen and Craig Severance (former friends and successful partners, but now bitter adversaries), set out to imprint their individual marks on the greatest canvas in the world--the rapidly evolving skyline of New York City.  Each man desired to build the city&#8217;s tallest building, or &#8216;skyscraper.&#8217;  Each would stop at nothing to outdo his rival.<br/><br/>Van Alen was a creative genius who envisioned a bold, contemporary building that would move beyond the tired architecture of the previous century.  By a stroke of good fortune he found a larger-than-life patron in automobile magnate Walter Chrysler, and they set out to build the legendary Chrysler building.  Severance, by comparison, was a brilliant businessman, and he tapped his circle of downtown, old-money investors to begin construction on the Manhattan Company Building at 40 Wall Street.  <br/><br/>From ground-breaking to bricklaying, Van Alen and Severance fought a cunning duel of wills. Each man was forced to revamp his architectural design in an attempt to push higher, to overcome his rival in mid-construction, as the structures rose, floor by floor, in record time.  Yet just as the battle was underway, a third party entered the arena and announced plans to build an even larger building.  This project would be overseen by one of Chrysler&#8217;s principal rivals--a representative of the General Motors group--and the building ultimately became known as The Empire State Building.<br/><br/>Infused with narrative thrills and perfectly rendered historical and engineering detail,<em> Higher</em> brings to life a sensational episode in American history. Author Neal Bascomb interweaves characters such as Al Smith and Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt, leading up to an astonishing climax that illustrates one of the most ingenious (and secret) architectural achievements of all time.</p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2003</published>
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    <rating>4</rating>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[those interested in NYC, skyscrapers, the Jazz Age, NYC politics, architecture]]></recommended_for>
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  <date_added>Wed Sep 03 14:31:04 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Sep 03 14:33:23 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I think Neal Bascomb makes an excellent case for the late '20s and early '30s in New York being one of the most interesting architecturally. The race to be &quot;higher&quot; that propelled the Chrysler, Manhattan Company, and ESB, is a captivating one and Bascomb tells the story well.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/31936006]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/31936006]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>25874567</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Mike]]></name>
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    <![CDATA[Higher: A Historic Race to the Sky and the Making of a City]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>3.75</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>53</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<p>The Roaring Twenties in New York was a time of exuberant ambition, free-flowing optimism, an explosion of artistic expression in the age of Prohibition. New York was the city that embodied the spirit and strength of a newly powerful America.  <br/><br/>In 1924, in the vibrant heart of Manhattan, a fierce rivalry was born.  Two architects, William Van Alen and Craig Severance (former friends and successful partners, but now bitter adversaries), set out to imprint their individual marks on the greatest canvas in the world--the rapidly evolving skyline of New York City.  Each man desired to build the city&#8217;s tallest building, or &#8216;skyscraper.&#8217;  Each would stop at nothing to outdo his rival.<br/><br/>Van Alen was a creative genius who envisioned a bold, contemporary building that would move beyond the tired architecture of the previous century.  By a stroke of good fortune he found a larger-than-life patron in automobile magnate Walter Chrysler, and they set out to build the legendary Chrysler building.  Severance, by comparison, was a brilliant businessman, and he tapped his circle of downtown, old-money investors to begin construction on the Manhattan Company Building at 40 Wall Street.  <br/><br/>From ground-breaking to bricklaying, Van Alen and Severance fought a cunning duel of wills. Each man was forced to revamp his architectural design in an attempt to push higher, to overcome his rival in mid-construction, as the structures rose, floor by floor, in record time.  Yet just as the battle was underway, a third party entered the arena and announced plans to build an even larger building.  This project would be overseen by one of Chrysler&#8217;s principal rivals--a representative of the General Motors group--and the building ultimately became known as The Empire State Building.<br/><br/>Infused with narrative thrills and perfectly rendered historical and engineering detail,<em> Higher</em> brings to life a sensational episode in American history. Author Neal Bascomb interweaves characters such as Al Smith and Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt, leading up to an astonishing climax that illustrates one of the most ingenious (and secret) architectural achievements of all time.</p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2003</published>
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    <rating>4</rating>
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  <date_added>Sun Jun 29 20:12:58 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Jun 29 20:15:53 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[One of those books I had to buy after reading it. During the Depression, these two NY architects managed to battle for the rights to the world's tallest building. I'm a tortoise-like reader, and this was so gripping it took me only a few days.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/25874567]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/25874567]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
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    <![CDATA[Higher: A Historic Race to the Sky and the Making of a City]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>3.75</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>53</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<p>The Roaring Twenties in New York was a time of exuberant ambition, free-flowing optimism, an explosion of artistic expression in the age of Prohibition. New York was the city that embodied the spirit and strength of a newly powerful America.  <br/><br/>In 1924, in the vibrant heart of Manhattan, a fierce rivalry was born.  Two architects, William Van Alen and Craig Severance (former friends and successful partners, but now bitter adversaries), set out to imprint their individual marks on the greatest canvas in the world--the rapidly evolving skyline of New York City.  Each man desired to build the city&#8217;s tallest building, or &#8216;skyscraper.&#8217;  Each would stop at nothing to outdo his rival.<br/><br/>Van Alen was a creative genius who envisioned a bold, contemporary building that would move beyond the tired architecture of the previous century.  By a stroke of good fortune he found a larger-than-life patron in automobile magnate Walter Chrysler, and they set out to build the legendary Chrysler building.  Severance, by comparison, was a brilliant businessman, and he tapped his circle of downtown, old-money investors to begin construction on the Manhattan Company Building at 40 Wall Street.  <br/><br/>From ground-breaking to bricklaying, Van Alen and Severance fought a cunning duel of wills. Each man was forced to revamp his architectural design in an attempt to push higher, to overcome his rival in mid-construction, as the structures rose, floor by floor, in record time.  Yet just as the battle was underway, a third party entered the arena and announced plans to build an even larger building.  This project would be overseen by one of Chrysler&#8217;s principal rivals--a representative of the General Motors group--and the building ultimately became known as The Empire State Building.<br/><br/>Infused with narrative thrills and perfectly rendered historical and engineering detail,<em> Higher</em> brings to life a sensational episode in American history. Author Neal Bascomb interweaves characters such as Al Smith and Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt, leading up to an astonishing climax that illustrates one of the most ingenious (and secret) architectural achievements of all time.</p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2003</published>
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    <rating>5</rating>
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  <date_added>Mon Jul 14 08:50:48 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Nov 18 08:02:34 -0800 2008</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[Totally terrific.  Only problem:  No index!  Lots of great notes and sources, though, for anyone who wants to dig even deeper into the subject.  ]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/27203382]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/27203382]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>12371387</id>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Higher: A Historic Race to the Sky and the Making of a City]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>3.75</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>53</ratings_count>
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    <![CDATA[<p>The Roaring Twenties in New York was a time of exuberant ambition, free-flowing optimism, an explosion of artistic expression in the age of Prohibition. New York was the city that embodied the spirit and strength of a newly powerful America.  <br/><br/>In 1924, in the vibrant heart of Manhattan, a fierce rivalry was born.  Two architects, William Van Alen and Craig Severance (former friends and successful partners, but now bitter adversaries), set out to imprint their individual marks on the greatest canvas in the world--the rapidly evolving skyline of New York City.  Each man desired to build the city&#8217;s tallest building, or &#8216;skyscraper.&#8217;  Each would stop at nothing to outdo his rival.<br/><br/>Van Alen was a creative genius who envisioned a bold, contemporary building that would move beyond the tired architecture of the previous century.  By a stroke of good fortune he found a larger-than-life patron in automobile magnate Walter Chrysler, and they set out to build the legendary Chrysler building.  Severance, by comparison, was a brilliant businessman, and he tapped his circle of downtown, old-money investors to begin construction on the Manhattan Company Building at 40 Wall Street.  <br/><br/>From ground-breaking to bricklaying, Van Alen and Severance fought a cunning duel of wills. Each man was forced to revamp his architectural design in an attempt to push higher, to overcome his rival in mid-construction, as the structures rose, floor by floor, in record time.  Yet just as the battle was underway, a third party entered the arena and announced plans to build an even larger building.  This project would be overseen by one of Chrysler&#8217;s principal rivals--a representative of the General Motors group--and the building ultimately became known as The Empire State Building.<br/><br/>Infused with narrative thrills and perfectly rendered historical and engineering detail,<em> Higher</em> brings to life a sensational episode in American history. Author Neal Bascomb interweaves characters such as Al Smith and Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt, leading up to an astonishing climax that illustrates one of the most ingenious (and secret) architectural achievements of all time.</p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2003</published>
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    <rating>4</rating>
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  <read_at>Thu Feb 14 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Sat Jan 12 20:37:39 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Feb 14 22:24:11 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This is great historical book! Many characters and important people whose names you will recongnize and learn a lot about. I really liked it!]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/12371387]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/12371387]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
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    <![CDATA[Higher: A Historic Race to the Sky and the Making of a City]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[Interesting portrait of a little-considered slice of history - the building of the first great skyscrapers in NYC.]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[Higher: A Historic Race to the Sky and the Making of a City]]>
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    <![CDATA[<p>The Roaring Twenties in New York was a time of exuberant ambition, free-flowing optimism, an explosion of artistic expression in the age of Prohibition. New York was the city that embodied the spirit and strength of a newly powerful America.  <br/><br/>In 1924, in the vibrant heart of Manhattan, a fierce rivalry was born.  Two architects, William Van Alen and Craig Severance (former friends and successful partners, but now bitter adversaries), set out to imprint their individual marks on the greatest canvas in the world--the rapidly evolving skyline of New York City.  Each man desired to build the city&#8217;s tallest building, or &#8216;skyscraper.&#8217;  Each would stop at nothing to outdo his rival.<br/><br/>Van Alen was a creative genius who envisioned a bold, contemporary building that would move beyond the tired architecture of the previous century.  By a stroke of good fortune he found a larger-than-life patron in automobile magnate Walter Chrysler, and they set out to build the legendary Chrysler building.  Severance, by comparison, was a brilliant businessman, and he tapped his circle of downtown, old-money investors to begin construction on the Manhattan Company Building at 40 Wall Street.  <br/><br/>From ground-breaking to bricklaying, Van Alen and Severance fought a cunning duel of wills. Each man was forced to revamp his architectural design in an attempt to push higher, to overcome his rival in mid-construction, as the structures rose, floor by floor, in record time.  Yet just as the battle was underway, a third party entered the arena and announced plans to build an even larger building.  This project would be overseen by one of Chrysler&#8217;s principal rivals--a representative of the General Motors group--and the building ultimately became known as The Empire State Building.<br/><br/>Infused with narrative thrills and perfectly rendered historical and engineering detail,<em> Higher</em> brings to life a sensational episode in American history. Author Neal Bascomb interweaves characters such as Al Smith and Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt, leading up to an astonishing climax that illustrates one of the most ingenious (and secret) architectural achievements of all time.</p>]]>
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    <![CDATA[The Roaring Twenties in New York was a time of exuberant ambition, free-flowing optimism, an explosion of artistic expression in the age of Prohibition. New York was the city that embodied the spirit and strength of a newly powerful America.  <br/><br/>In 1924, in the vibrant heart of Manhattan, a fierce rivalry was born.  Two architects, William Van Alen and Craig Severance (former friends and successful partners, but now bitter adversaries), set out to imprint their individual marks on the greatest canvas in the world--the rapidly evolving skyline of New York City.  Each man desired to build the city&#8217;s tallest building, or &#8216;skyscraper.&#8217;  Each would stop at nothing to outdo his rival.<br/><br/>Van Alen was a creative genius who envisioned a bold, contemporary building that would move beyond the tired architecture of the previous century.  By a stroke of good fortune he found a larger-than-life patron in automobile magnate Walter Chrysler, and they set out to build the legendary Chrysler building.  Severance, by comparison, was a brilliant businessman, and he tapped his circle of downtown, old-money investors to begin construction on the Manhattan Company Building at 40 Wall Street.  <br/><br/>From ground-breaking to bricklaying, Van Alen and Severance fought a cunning duel of wills. Each man was forced to revamp his architectural design in an attempt to push higher, to overcome his rival in mid-construction, as the structures rose, floor by floor, in record time.  Yet just as the battle was underway, a third party entered the arena and announced plans to build an even larger building.  This project would be overseen by one of Chrysler&#8217;s principal rivals--a representative of the General Motors group--and the building ultimately became known as The Empire State Building.<br/>Infused with narrative thrills and perfectly rendered historical and engineering detail,<em> Higher</em> brings to life a sensational episode in American history. Author Neal Bascomb interweaves characters such as Al Smith and Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt, leading up to an astonishing climax that illustrates one of the most ingenious (and secret) architectural achievements of all time.]]>
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