Washington, D.C. Then and Now (Compact) (Then & Now Thunder Bay)

Washington, D.C. Then and Now (Compact) (Then & Now Thunder Bay)

Product Type: Book

Product Price: $12.95

Manufacturer: Thunder Bay Press

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Description

As the center of power of the United States, Washington, D.C. is a unique city boasting a rich history and monumental buildings. The city has undergone many changes over the past 200 years of its existence, and this compact edition of Washington, D.C. Then and Now illustrates the evolution and history of this thriving capital city of the United States. Vintage black-and-white photographs juxtaposed with contemporary color images present a compelling portrait of the city's most famous residential and commercial buildings. Visit noted landmarks such as the White House, the Capitol, the Washington Monument, the Smithsonian Institution, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Library of Congress. Celebrate the independence of lesser-known commercial and historic structures, which give readers a full range of the capital city's mixture of modern glass midrise buildings and classically designed government buildings. This new compact version of the best-selling book Washington, D.C. Then and Now provides readers with a vivid glimpse into the dynamic capital city of the United States.

Reviews

Rating: 2 / 5
Date: 2010-07-22
Summary: "Not very interesting"

I've lived in DC for 11 years and was really hoping for a fun coffee-table book showing LIFE then and now. Instead, this book focuses on the big buildings, which pretty much all look exactly the same. "Look! It's the National Archives in 1926! And in 2000!" The difference? Color. And so on, page after page, same big impersonal building on the left (in black and white), exact same building on the right (in color). If anything, it's a testament to the consistency of stone and marble.

To be fair, there are a handful of interesting (if standard) images: the swamps around the Lincoln Memorial, the early Capitol building, the White House with sheep, the old stone house at 17th & Constitution. But really, I've seen these before and they certainly aren't enough to justify the book.

At least it's a nice looking, well printed book. I'll leave it on the coffee-table for now. I just won't open it much.

Rating: 5 / 5
Date: 2009-06-16
Summary: "Billy Wannyn Washington DC A is for apple"

My Question is? If all the oil is in Texas, Why are all the Dip Sticks in Washington?????

Rating: 4 / 5
Date: 2008-03-06
Summary: "Photographic time machine for our nation's capital"

Mitchell's book is the fifth in the "Then and Now" series that I've bought, and it is every bit as good as the others. If you are not familiar with the concept, old photographs of particular street corners or buildings are contrasted with corresponding current images. The author displays his detailed knowledge of the area as he recounts stories that accompany each set of photos.

Due to the consistency of some of the buildings in Washington, D. C., the main difference between pictures of a certain structure from 100+ years ago and today is only that one is black and white while the newer one is in color. But some locations have been dramatically transformed over time.

Any student of history and especially people interested in Washington, D. C. should really enjoy this book.

Rating: 4 / 5
Date: 2006-09-30
Summary: "Pretty Good"

This book is pretty good to see a historical comparison of Washington DC "then" vs. "now." The most disappointing aspect here is that a lot of the current pictures seem to have been taken on the same overcast late fall/early winter day. Washington DC is one of the most beautiful cities in the world but a lot of the current pictures don't capture that. The historical pictures and overall comparisons are pretty good though and I would have rated this a "5" if they had done a better job capturing the city's beauty. A solid "4" none the less.

Rating: 4 / 5
Date: 2005-04-01
Summary: "Interesting historical look at the nation's capitol"

Having seen a few other books showing historical photos of different cities' landmarks and their modern looks, I was interested to see what this book would offer. I was not disappointed, fiding the choice of subjects ranging form the famous to the obscure, painting a picture of a Washington long ago.

With many of the more famous buildings in Washington having been built in the last 70 years, there aren't as many older structural pictures to hold up against a view of the current looks. This is often refelcted by what originally stood on the site, and then the facing page shows what is built on the site now. Obviously, there are pictures showing the White House, Capitol, and a few other notable buildings to examine for small changes, but the majority of the book features things the average visitor wouldn't normally notice.

To people who have spent some time in this great city, they would greatly appreciate where the modern looks and everyday scenery has come from. To the average reader, this book would be an interesting coffee table book to entertain the curious.