What do you think?
Rate this book
This Bridge Will Not Be Gray
The Golden Gate Bridge is the most famous bridge in the world. It is also, not entirely coincidentally, the world’s only bright-orange bridge. But it wasn’t supposed to be that way.
In this book, fellow bridge-lovers Dave Eggers and Tucker Nichols tell the story of how it happened—how a bridge that some people wanted to be red and white, and some people wanted to be yellow and black, and most people wanted simply to be gray, instead became, thanks to the vision and stick-to-itiveness of a few peculiar architects, one of the most memorable man-made objects ever created.
In this book, fellow bridge-lovers Dave Eggers and Tucker Nichols tell the story of how it happened—how a bridge that some people wanted to be red and white, and some people wanted to be yellow and black, and most people wanted simply to be gray, instead became, thanks to the vision and stick-to-itiveness of a few peculiar architects, one of the most memorable man-made objects ever created.
112 pages, Hardcover
First published November 10, 2015
8 people are currently reading
644 people want to read
About the author
Dave Eggers
338 books9,510 followersDave Eggers is an American writer, editor, and publisher. He is best known for his 2000 memoir, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, which became a bestseller and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction. Eggers is also the founder of several notable literary and philanthropic ventures, including the literary journal Timothy McSweeney's Quarterly Concern, the literacy project 826 Valencia, and the human rights nonprofit Voice of Witness. Additionally, he founded ScholarMatch, a program that connects donors with students needing funds for college tuition. His writing has appeared in numerous prestigious publications, including The New Yorker, Esquire, and The New York Times Magazine.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 191 reviews
October 26, 2023
Tells the story of the boldly colored Golden Gate Bridge and how it came to be that way. Even the no frills anti-rust paint has its time to shine!
April 29, 2018
A whimsical, short history of how the Golden Gate bridge came to be the only bridge painted ‘International Orange,’ and how several visionaries and healthy debate can sometimes produce something pretty special. Just like Pixar movies, some of the wit is directed at adults, but I like that this children’s book opens up a conversation about design and bucking the status quo.
August 30, 2021
Dave Eggers wrote a kids' book! Well, not exactly - he wrote an essay that they illustrated and shelved with the kids' books.
2.5 stars. A real "Why? Why not?" experience.
2.5 stars. A real "Why? Why not?" experience.
November 28, 2015
I guess I have to categorize this as a kid's book. It looks like one with the simple cutout art and poster colors. And it's not told on a simple level. But it doesn't read like a kid book, much. Too much talk, too many words, and kind of meandering prose. The point of the books s that people worked together to demand that the bridge NOT be gray, but orange, that it was "people" collectively that made that happen.
The fam and I went through SanFran in late August, and we took pics of the bridge, so when I saw Eggers signing copies of the book at the NCTE conference in Minneapolis recently, I picked it up. I thought they would like it, and they did, they though it was good. I thought it was good, too, but not great. The paper stock is heavy and the whole artifact is lovely. The dustcover folds out to a poster. I guess it is for bridge lovers and lovers of collective action and beauty.
The fam and I went through SanFran in late August, and we took pics of the bridge, so when I saw Eggers signing copies of the book at the NCTE conference in Minneapolis recently, I picked it up. I thought they would like it, and they did, they though it was good. I thought it was good, too, but not great. The paper stock is heavy and the whole artifact is lovely. The dustcover folds out to a poster. I guess it is for bridge lovers and lovers of collective action and beauty.
November 25, 2018
If I could marry this book, I would.
I'm sure part of my affection for a book about the Golden Gate Bridge is my recent move from the Bay Area after having lived there for twenty years.
But it's also because this book is so utterly delightful.
It's a children's picture book, but it's certainly appealing for us olds.
The writing is an intelligent, whimsical and enthusiastic account of how the efforts of ordinary people helped the Golden Gate Bridge become what at the time was considered to be an outrageous shade of orange.
The paper collage art is really fun and captures the spirit of the text and the subject perfectly.
Read at the library, but I really need a copy of this book for myself!
I'm sure part of my affection for a book about the Golden Gate Bridge is my recent move from the Bay Area after having lived there for twenty years.
But it's also because this book is so utterly delightful.
It's a children's picture book, but it's certainly appealing for us olds.
The writing is an intelligent, whimsical and enthusiastic account of how the efforts of ordinary people helped the Golden Gate Bridge become what at the time was considered to be an outrageous shade of orange.
The paper collage art is really fun and captures the spirit of the text and the subject perfectly.
Read at the library, but I really need a copy of this book for myself!
November 14, 2015
One of the best picture books I read this year!
Fun text and paper cut-outs tell the story of how the Golden Gate Bridge came to be- and how it came to be bright orange at that!
The dustjacket folds out into a poster.
Fun text and paper cut-outs tell the story of how the Golden Gate Bridge came to be- and how it came to be bright orange at that!
The dustjacket folds out into a poster.
February 15, 2016
A love letter to a bridge, to the bay area, to the amazing things humans make, to collage art, to color, to caring about something that will have an impact.
June 12, 2024
This was a quick, fun read. If you like this, you've got to read Her Right Foot.
January 21, 2016
Usually, when a book is this thick, I read the blurb and maybe flip through the pages before I put it out on the shelf. But the small number of words per page and the big, friendly paper cutout illustrations caught my eye.
I like this book. It's approachable for many ages. It tells an interesting story in an interesting way. And it works.
I like this book. It's approachable for many ages. It tells an interesting story in an interesting way. And it works.
March 21, 2019
Having greatly enjoyed Dave Eggers' subsequent non-fiction picture-book about another American icon -
Her Right Foot
, which addresses the subject of the Statue of Liberty - I picked up This Bridge Will Not Be Gray with some anticipation. I believe it was Eggers' debut as a children's author. Using a humorous, conversational style, the narrator here relates the story of how San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge came to be built, and how it came to be the unusual orange color it is. No bridge before it had ever been that color, but through the efforts of Irving Morrow, the architect involved in the project, as well as his many citizen supporters, the Golden Gate Bridge gained (or rather, retained) its distinctive hue...
I found This Bridge Will Not Be Gray to be an engaging work of history, one which highlights both the beauty and the uniqueness of this iconic San Francisco structure, while also exploring the (ideal) role of the citizenry in contributing to these kinds of massive projects. I particularly appreciated the inclusion of a number of letters written to and in support of Irving Morrow, at the rear of the book, although I would also have liked to have seen a list of further sources. The artwork from Tucker Nichols, done in what looks like paper collage, is interesting and attention-grabbing, with a constructed sensibility that feels right in a book about building a bridge. Recommended to Dave Eggers fans, and to anyone looking for children's books about the Golden Gate Bridge.
I found This Bridge Will Not Be Gray to be an engaging work of history, one which highlights both the beauty and the uniqueness of this iconic San Francisco structure, while also exploring the (ideal) role of the citizenry in contributing to these kinds of massive projects. I particularly appreciated the inclusion of a number of letters written to and in support of Irving Morrow, at the rear of the book, although I would also have liked to have seen a list of further sources. The artwork from Tucker Nichols, done in what looks like paper collage, is interesting and attention-grabbing, with a constructed sensibility that feels right in a book about building a bridge. Recommended to Dave Eggers fans, and to anyone looking for children's books about the Golden Gate Bridge.
April 14, 2022
Featured in a grandma reads session.
I've got Cali connections, so this pick was admittedly more for me than my crew. . .but still, who doesn't love a bridge story??? And an ORANGE bridge at that! This little number ran us through the background story of the bridge, the pre-bridge account as it was before its most famous accessory was placed on its geological brow, so to speak. And, as all Dave Eggers accounts are, is deadpan amusing and spare in its telling.
We loved it. All of us. Really. Not just me. "How many stars," I murmured. "Give all of um," waved the youngest. "Yeah. That," muttered the oldest. "Don't you just love ORANGE?! - it's the BEST color!" yelped the one draped over the couch. "S'ok. But mostly I love bridges. We should get one," came up from the floor - the supine listener joined in. Not a word from the kid in sunglasses. He just nodded, and pointed his palm with all fingers spread. Got it. 5 stars.
I've got Cali connections, so this pick was admittedly more for me than my crew. . .but still, who doesn't love a bridge story??? And an ORANGE bridge at that! This little number ran us through the background story of the bridge, the pre-bridge account as it was before its most famous accessory was placed on its geological brow, so to speak. And, as all Dave Eggers accounts are, is deadpan amusing and spare in its telling.
We loved it. All of us. Really. Not just me. "How many stars," I murmured. "Give all of um," waved the youngest. "Yeah. That," muttered the oldest. "Don't you just love ORANGE?! - it's the BEST color!" yelped the one draped over the couch. "S'ok. But mostly I love bridges. We should get one," came up from the floor - the supine listener joined in. Not a word from the kid in sunglasses. He just nodded, and pointed his palm with all fingers spread. Got it. 5 stars.
December 29, 2015
Very informative and interesting book about Golden Gate Bridge! Really enjoyed it! Highly recommended!!
December 6, 2017
Although I liked the Statue of Liberty book better, I love the way Eggers tells the story and the illustrations. I think kids will really be captivated by it and will definitely learn something new.
March 30, 2025
“It is best-loved because it is bold and courageous and unusual and even strange.”
This may be a statement about a bridge, but it is also a statement about my favorite people. And great advice for all of us who don’t conform to the gray boxes in life.
This may be a statement about a bridge, but it is also a statement about my favorite people. And great advice for all of us who don’t conform to the gray boxes in life.
January 21, 2016
I did not have super high expectations of this book because it doesn't have super great reviews and I've heard a lot of people saying that it wasn't very child-friendly. I've also never finished a Dave Eggers book--he is just not my favorite author. But maybe because I have such a fondness in my heart for the city of San Francisco, I really really liked this book. First impressions: it's very minimalist, with a rough paper cut style of art. It's not perfectly done; there are rough edges, as though it was hurriedly done with regular scissors, no x-acto knife involved. In a spread with stripes, one of the stripes is actually two separate strips of white paper, not even fully overlapping. I'm sure that this is intentional, but I can't say I really care for it. Many of the two-page spreads have very simple shapes-rectangles, flat expanses, the most complex being faces of all different colors. Maybe it's not the most child-friendly style, but it's so visually striking I certainly don't think children would be bored by it.
Now for the text. It's definitely really long for a picture book. Some of the pages have several paragraphs of text, and it's actually over 100 pages long (seemed like less to me, but I'm going off of the goodreads description given). However, I think that the writing style is definitely geared towards children. It has a very personal tone that I think kids would like. Here's an example that I like:
The Navy thought it should be black. No kidding. They did. The Navy thought the bridge would be safer that way, so ships and planes could easily see it.
The Army had a stranger idea: How about red and white stripes? they said. This is true. This is a factual book.
The Army wanted it to look like a candy cane for the same reason the Navy wanted it to look like a tiger with jaundice: so that it would be easily seen by planes and ships.
I think that the key here is that it's really for older children. This is probably for the elementary age set, and I think it would be absolutely perfect for a fourth grade read aloud, since that's when they learn about California history.
Ages 5-9
Now for the text. It's definitely really long for a picture book. Some of the pages have several paragraphs of text, and it's actually over 100 pages long (seemed like less to me, but I'm going off of the goodreads description given). However, I think that the writing style is definitely geared towards children. It has a very personal tone that I think kids would like. Here's an example that I like:
The Navy thought it should be black. No kidding. They did. The Navy thought the bridge would be safer that way, so ships and planes could easily see it.
The Army had a stranger idea: How about red and white stripes? they said. This is true. This is a factual book.
The Army wanted it to look like a candy cane for the same reason the Navy wanted it to look like a tiger with jaundice: so that it would be easily seen by planes and ships.
I think that the key here is that it's really for older children. This is probably for the elementary age set, and I think it would be absolutely perfect for a fourth grade read aloud, since that's when they learn about California history.
Ages 5-9
April 30, 2018
Paper collage artwork features here as readers learn about how the Golden Gate Bridge came to be painted the bright color it boasts today. Not only was their dissension about whether to build a bridge from San Francisco across the bay to the small towns on the other, but there was much discussion about the future bridge's shape and color. Young readers may appreciate the determination of ordinary citizens such as Irving Morrow who lifted their voices and wrote letters calling for a more colorful bridge--anything but gray. Although gray might have seemed like the perfect choice due to San Francisco's fog and how the bridge would blend it with its surroundings, eventually all those voices had their way. Readers may enjoy seeing some of the actual letters that were sent to Morrow extolling the beauty of an orange bridge. I had no idea that the paint on the bridge needs constant upkeep or that 10,000 gallons of paint are used on it every year. The illustrations will appeal to a young audience while the text is probably too dense for most of them unless read aloud or shared in brief installments. But it is wonderful to see the impact one person and others who agreed with him had on a structure and a color choice. The book provides ready evidence that one person can make a difference--in this case, a difference that is seen every time someone looks at that amazing Golden Gate Bridge, now a beloved San Francisco landmark.
December 16, 2015
After seeing this advertised on McSweeney's I ordered a few thinking it would make good gifts this holiday, and also teach the kids about the bridge they cross every so often. The illustration is clean and simple, but didn't do much for the kiddos (ages four to nine). Also, in the process of reading, I noticed some redundancies and extraneous parts meant for humor that needed summarizing and glossing over so as to stay on rhythm. Overall, it is an inspiring and educational book that reminds us of San Francisco's willingness to take creative risks even back when bridges were supposed to be gray or black.
December 19, 2015
A book about the Golden Gate Bridge. The tone is pretty conversational and the spotlight in this book is on the unique qualities of the bridge and the people who really helped make the bridge something the whole world took notice of.
Vibrant paper cut-out artwork is a nice choice for a book about the making of a bridge.
I think adults would appreciate this book far more than any child even though the artwork is very appealing to the PreK-2 crowd. Text-wise I'd say 4-6+ could read it and get something out of it, though the information it contains isn't nearly thorough enough as to be used for a school assignment. Long story short, I'd recommend this for adults.
Vibrant paper cut-out artwork is a nice choice for a book about the making of a bridge.
I think adults would appreciate this book far more than any child even though the artwork is very appealing to the PreK-2 crowd. Text-wise I'd say 4-6+ could read it and get something out of it, though the information it contains isn't nearly thorough enough as to be used for a school assignment. Long story short, I'd recommend this for adults.
February 15, 2016
This simple book tells the story of the building of the Golden Gate Bridge. Told in simple language with basic paper cut-outs, the reader learns much about how and why this famous bridge was built. I even learned what the actual color of the bridge is called. Bet you don't know what this paint chip color is actually called!
December 27, 2015
I like this. It is a good for children. It explains a real event simply and clearly, with a bit of a nice built-in "message," but nothing really forced. The illustrations are nice. I wish it were shorter so I could use it for storytime. But it's a good length for it's intended audience.
May 8, 2016
Fun and hip way of conveying the story of the Golden Gate.
September 1, 2016
A children's book but filled with thought provoking information that just might lead you to the next level of learning about this tremendous undertaking.....The Golden Gate Bridge! Loved it.
December 7, 2017
Wonderful, but not quite as wonderful as Her Right Foot.
November 16, 2020
3.5 stars
I picked this up because it looked interesting, and then felt further intrigued by the fact it was written by Dave Eggers. The combination of the deadpan text and the quirky illustrations (made of paper cutouts) reminds me of a They Might be Giants song. A charming and interesting story about the Golden Gate Bridge, with bonus emotional uplift coming from the power of citizen activism, which helped to decide on the colour of the bridge.
I picked this up because it looked interesting, and then felt further intrigued by the fact it was written by Dave Eggers. The combination of the deadpan text and the quirky illustrations (made of paper cutouts) reminds me of a They Might be Giants song. A charming and interesting story about the Golden Gate Bridge, with bonus emotional uplift coming from the power of citizen activism, which helped to decide on the colour of the bridge.
January 4, 2023
What a fun book and a fun one to read first this year!
June 9, 2018
What a great informative book
June 3, 2018
Wish there was back matter to learn more about how the Golden Gate Bridge came to be!
June 7, 2018
Eggers really has a flair for picture books. Informative with a touch of whimsy.
December 18, 2015
I wanted to like the book and imagined using it in local library programs. I was very excited to see the cover and look at this book on the New Books cart today-- but then I was sorely disappointed in the overall execution. An awkward review to write, because I don't want to be picky, but there were enough drawbacks that I would not recommend this for children or tourists looking for a good read or for information on the Golden Gate Bridge. This could well be revised/edited for readability.
The artwork by Tucker Nichols is fun (appearing to be bold, simple patterns, shapes, and colors formed by construction paper cutouts and complement the text very well. The author and illustrator are both Californians who live and work near the Golden Gate Bridge.
Although the basic concept is good and sometimes the informal writing style worked, there were other times when it just didn't. The continuity and flow just didn't feel right to me as I read it. There were several abrupt shifts in the narration that jarred my reading, and when the author reintroduced Irving Morrow into the story, there was no mention of the fact that he was named as an architect involved in the project just over 30 pages before-- and from the way the text read, it sounded like he was just a random person watching the construction of the towers section of the bridge.
Several factors that bothered me as I read the book, wondering about sharing this with a class or audience:
1.The author mentions about the 1928 decision to build the bridge, and notes about people wanting to travel without driving all the way around the bay, but then says he only wants to focus on the "shape and the color of the bridge they did build." Yet, he had already interrupted his story once, in the middle of talking about how they were beginning to build the bridge with the foundation being placed deep underwater and saying, "Seeing the bridge rise was very exciting to the people of San Francisco and the Bay Area," to juxtapose the fact that "today, San Francisco is a city of about 800,000." That may be interesting, but it says nothing about what the population was when the bridge was built, and is not current either at the time of the book's copyright in 2015. (The 1930 census reported 634,394 for San Francisco City and County). Yet even a quick search showed that SF has had a boom since 2010, with a population of roughly 825,000 in 2012 and a Census-estimated 2014 population of 852,469.
2. Likewise, although the author talks about traffic flow, he gives no idea of how many vehicles or pedestrians crossed the bridge when it was first built, or how many do today, even though he tells us how many gallons of paint are used to maintain the color. Maybe outside the direct focus of the book, but if the travel flow was key to the introductory part of the book, it would have been nice to include.
3. The map included to explain that "San Francisco is one of many dozens of cities and towns built around the Bay" is oriented to fit on a page with landscape orientation, so up is not North and West-East is not left-right. With no compass provided, there is no correcting perspective to inform us that the Pacific Ocean is not North of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay, and the harmful image retained in the reader's mind based on the initial exposure will confuse readers young and old who are not already familiar with California's Bay Area geography."
The artwork by Tucker Nichols is fun (appearing to be bold, simple patterns, shapes, and colors formed by construction paper cutouts and complement the text very well. The author and illustrator are both Californians who live and work near the Golden Gate Bridge.
Although the basic concept is good and sometimes the informal writing style worked, there were other times when it just didn't. The continuity and flow just didn't feel right to me as I read it. There were several abrupt shifts in the narration that jarred my reading, and when the author reintroduced Irving Morrow into the story, there was no mention of the fact that he was named as an architect involved in the project just over 30 pages before-- and from the way the text read, it sounded like he was just a random person watching the construction of the towers section of the bridge.
Several factors that bothered me as I read the book, wondering about sharing this with a class or audience:
1.The author mentions about the 1928 decision to build the bridge, and notes about people wanting to travel without driving all the way around the bay, but then says he only wants to focus on the "shape and the color of the bridge they did build." Yet, he had already interrupted his story once, in the middle of talking about how they were beginning to build the bridge with the foundation being placed deep underwater and saying, "Seeing the bridge rise was very exciting to the people of San Francisco and the Bay Area," to juxtapose the fact that "today, San Francisco is a city of about 800,000." That may be interesting, but it says nothing about what the population was when the bridge was built, and is not current either at the time of the book's copyright in 2015. (The 1930 census reported 634,394 for San Francisco City and County). Yet even a quick search showed that SF has had a boom since 2010, with a population of roughly 825,000 in 2012 and a Census-estimated 2014 population of 852,469.
2. Likewise, although the author talks about traffic flow, he gives no idea of how many vehicles or pedestrians crossed the bridge when it was first built, or how many do today, even though he tells us how many gallons of paint are used to maintain the color. Maybe outside the direct focus of the book, but if the travel flow was key to the introductory part of the book, it would have been nice to include.
3. The map included to explain that "San Francisco is one of many dozens of cities and towns built around the Bay" is oriented to fit on a page with landscape orientation, so up is not North and West-East is not left-right. With no compass provided, there is no correcting perspective to inform us that the Pacific Ocean is not North of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay, and the harmful image retained in the reader's mind based on the initial exposure will confuse readers young and old who are not already familiar with California's Bay Area geography."
January 29, 2018
Richie’s Picks: THIS BRIDGE WILL NOT BE GRAY by Dave Eggers and Tucker Nichols, ill., Chronicle, March 2018 (revised edition), 112p., ISBN: 978-1-4521-6280-5
“...And the light of fog
blanketing the hills
drifting in at night
through the Golden Gate
to lie on the city at dawn…”
Lawrence Ferlinghetti, from “The Changing Light”
“Leon designed a suspension bridge, one with swooping lines and tall towers. It would be the longest suspension bridge in the world. It would be the tallest, too.
Everyone was excited about this design.
‘I like it very much,’ said this man.
‘My aunt likes it very much,’ said this woman.
This third person was chewing food but seemed to agree with the other two people.
But still the bridge appeared a bit stern in style. So Joseph and Leon asked another person, named Irving Morrow, to help out.
Irving Morrow was an architect, and his wife, Gertrude, was an architect, too, and together they lived not far from the Golden Gate. They designed homes, and gardens, but Irving had never designed anything at all like a bridge. Nothing this big or grand or important to so many people all at once.
Irving threw himself into the work. He suggested that the bridge have vertical fluting and art deco flourishes. He suggested pedestrian walkways on either side of the bridge. He suggested that there be beautiful lamps along the walkways. Just about none of these things were necessary for the functioning of the bridge--they could have just built it plainer, and cheaper, and quicker--but Irving Morrow thought that the bridge could be both a bridge and something like art. This was a new idea to many of the people who were involved in this project.”
I frequently drive over the Golden Gate Bridge to visit my grandkids in the North Bay. Crossing the bridge, whether in rain, fog, or sunshine, is always a breathtaking experience.
Did you know that the Golden Gate Bridge was built in thousands of sections that were shipped from the East Coast to California by boats that passed through the Panama Canal?
Did you know that the U.S. Navy thought the bridge should be painted with yellow and black stripes so as to be readily seen by planes and ships?
Did you know that those thousands of sections of bridge that passed through the Panama Canal had been primed with an orange sealant paint?
These are a few of the facts I learned from THIS BRIDGE WILL NOT BE GRAY, a great read for tweens who will appreciate the book’s wittiness and may well be inspired to learn more about the art deco architectural style.
(Art deco is also the architectural style of the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building in NYC)
We learn that, as he watched the Bridge being assembled day by day, Irving Morrow thought that the orange primer was so beautiful that the Golden Gate Bridge should remain that color. In the face of opposition, he began an energetic campaign to persuade everyone that he was right. And, as we know, Irving’s idea won out.
Tucker Nichols illustrates the book with cut paper collages.
THIS BRIDGE WILL NOT BE GRAY was originally published in 2015 by McSweeny’s Publishing, a non-profit founded by the author. Thanks to the new edition being published by Chronicle, this captivating piece of illustrated nonfiction will now reach a wider audience.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
“...And the light of fog
blanketing the hills
drifting in at night
through the Golden Gate
to lie on the city at dawn…”
Lawrence Ferlinghetti, from “The Changing Light”
“Leon designed a suspension bridge, one with swooping lines and tall towers. It would be the longest suspension bridge in the world. It would be the tallest, too.
Everyone was excited about this design.
‘I like it very much,’ said this man.
‘My aunt likes it very much,’ said this woman.
This third person was chewing food but seemed to agree with the other two people.
But still the bridge appeared a bit stern in style. So Joseph and Leon asked another person, named Irving Morrow, to help out.
Irving Morrow was an architect, and his wife, Gertrude, was an architect, too, and together they lived not far from the Golden Gate. They designed homes, and gardens, but Irving had never designed anything at all like a bridge. Nothing this big or grand or important to so many people all at once.
Irving threw himself into the work. He suggested that the bridge have vertical fluting and art deco flourishes. He suggested pedestrian walkways on either side of the bridge. He suggested that there be beautiful lamps along the walkways. Just about none of these things were necessary for the functioning of the bridge--they could have just built it plainer, and cheaper, and quicker--but Irving Morrow thought that the bridge could be both a bridge and something like art. This was a new idea to many of the people who were involved in this project.”
I frequently drive over the Golden Gate Bridge to visit my grandkids in the North Bay. Crossing the bridge, whether in rain, fog, or sunshine, is always a breathtaking experience.
Did you know that the Golden Gate Bridge was built in thousands of sections that were shipped from the East Coast to California by boats that passed through the Panama Canal?
Did you know that the U.S. Navy thought the bridge should be painted with yellow and black stripes so as to be readily seen by planes and ships?
Did you know that those thousands of sections of bridge that passed through the Panama Canal had been primed with an orange sealant paint?
These are a few of the facts I learned from THIS BRIDGE WILL NOT BE GRAY, a great read for tweens who will appreciate the book’s wittiness and may well be inspired to learn more about the art deco architectural style.
(Art deco is also the architectural style of the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building in NYC)
We learn that, as he watched the Bridge being assembled day by day, Irving Morrow thought that the orange primer was so beautiful that the Golden Gate Bridge should remain that color. In the face of opposition, he began an energetic campaign to persuade everyone that he was right. And, as we know, Irving’s idea won out.
Tucker Nichols illustrates the book with cut paper collages.
THIS BRIDGE WILL NOT BE GRAY was originally published in 2015 by McSweeny’s Publishing, a non-profit founded by the author. Thanks to the new edition being published by Chronicle, this captivating piece of illustrated nonfiction will now reach a wider audience.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
Displaying 1 - 30 of 191 reviews