GRAND AVENUES: The Story of the French Visionary Who Designed Washington, D. C.

BERG, Scott W.

ISBN 10: 0375422803 / ISBN 13: 9780375422805

Published by Pantheon Books, New York, N.Y., 2007

About this Item

Light brown boards with black spine. Spine print is gold colored.Tight , sound and unmarked. 336 pages including index and illusration credits. Dust jacket in mylar and not price clipped.

Seller Inventory # 010093

Bibliographic Details

• Title: GRAND AVENUES: The Story of the French Visionary Who Designed Washington, D. C.
• Publisher: Pantheon Books, New York, N.Y.
• Publication Date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0375422803
• ISBN 13: 9780375422805
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Illustrated
• Edition: First Edition / First Printing
• Condition: Near Fine
• Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine
• Seller catalogs:
  • General Reference
  • Architecture and Construction
  • History

About this title

Synopsis

Grand Avenues tells the riveting story of Pierre Charles L’Enfant and the creation of Washington D.C.--from the seeds of his inspiration to the fulfillment of his extraordinary vision.

L’Enfant’s story is one of consuming passion, high emotion, artistic genius, and human frailty. As a boy he studied drawing at the most prestigious art institute in the world. As a young man he left his home in Paris to volunteer in the army of the American colonies, where he served under George Washington. There he would also meet many of the people who would have a profound impact on his life, including Alexander Hamilton and James Monroe. And it was Washington himself who, in 1791, entrusted L’Enfant with the planning of the nation’s capital--and reluctantly allowed him to be dismissed from the project eleven months later. The plan for the city was published under another name, and for the remainder of his life L’Enfant fought for recognition of his achievement. But he would not live to see that day, and a century would pass before L’Enfant would be given credit for his brilliant design.

Scott W. Berg recounts this tale, richly evocative of time and place, with the narrative verve of a novel and with a cast of characters that ranges from Thomas Jefferson and the other Founding Fathers to the surveyor who took credit for L’Enfant’s plans, the assistant who spent a week in jail for his loyalty to L’Enfant, and the men who finally restored L’Enfant’s reputation at the beginning of the twentienth century.

Here is a fascinating, little-explored episode in American history: the story of a visionary artist and of the founding of the magnificent city that is his enduring legacy.

About the Author

Scott W. Berg holds a B.A. in architecture from the University of Minnesota, an M.A. from Miami University, and an M.F.A. in creative writing from George Mason University, where he now teaches nonfiction writing and literature. He publishes frequently in The Washington Post and lives in Washington, D.C. Visit his Web sites at www.scottwberg.com and www.grandavenues.com.