Let There Be Light: A Book about Windows

Synopsis

Windows are our eyes on the world. Through them we can gaze at our surroundings and, looking out, feel connected to the larger world outside. Windows transform our interiors, filling a room with light and letting cool breezes in. Windows protect us. But windows are vulnerable, too. A well-aimed rock can shatter one in an instant. For as long as there have been buildings, there have been windows. A simple roof hole, a narrow slit-these served as windows in early structures. Later windows might be covered with anything from mica to paper to a fish bladder; the transparent pane of glass we take for granted today took many centuries to develop. In the Middle Ages, with the achievement of stained glass, windows became the focus of a great outpouring of artistic expression. Today the "walls of glass" of the modern skyscraper represent the ultimate window. In this wide-ranging history, we also learn of the role windows have played in many dramatic events, from castle sieges to the infamous Kristallnacht of Nazi Germany to riots that scarred American cities in the 1960s. With the aid of splendid pictures, James Cross Giblin traces the intriguing development of windows-in our homes, our houses of worship, our offices, and public buildings, and shows how they illuminate our lives.

Copyright:

1988

Book Details

Book Quality:

Excellent

Book Size:

164 Pages

ISBN-13:

9780690046939

Publisher:

HarperCollins Publishers

Date of Addition:

04/17/12

Copyrighted By:

James Cross Giblin

Adult content:

No

Language:

English

Has Image Descriptions:

No

Categories:

Children's Books, Nonfiction, Art and Architecture, Home and Garden

Grade Levels:

Third grade, Fourth grade, Fifth grade, Sixth grade, Seventh grade

Submitted By:

Shelley L. Rhodes

Proofread By:

FriendlyCurmudgeon

Usage Restrictions:

This is a copyrighted book.