New Releases by David Macaulay

Superb design, magnificent illustrations, and clearly presented information distinguish all of David Macaulay''s books. Whether chronicling the monumental achievements of past civilizations or satirizing modern architecture, he is concerned above all in how constructions are made and what their effects are on people and their lives.

"In this wonderfully urbane fantasy" the Caldecott Medal-winning author and illustrator imagines the process of dismantling the Empire State Building ( Publishers Weekly). The acclaimed author of City and Pyramid now applies his inquisitive mind and stunningly detailed artwork to one of New York''s most iconic buildings. When the Empire State Building is purchased by an eccentric prince who wants to move it to the Arabian Desert, the intricate process of unbuilding begins. Along the way, Macaulay takes young readers on a tour of the skyscraper''s history and architecture and explains the many feats of engineering that went into its construction. His straightforward, informative text is illustrated with "perhaps the finest series of visually expansive, black-and-white perspective drawings, incisive renderings of the skyscraper and its celebrated ''views''" ( The Washington Post).

Réédition. Volume publié en 1981 aux Editions des Deux coqs d''or. Une satire humoristique qui fera sourire même les plus fidèles adeptes de l''archéologie.

Une ville bien conçue vaut mieux, pour la sécurité et la paix de l''Empire, que deux camps militaires... César savait qu''une Cité ne doit pas être seulement un centre commercial, politique et religieux, mais aussi et surtout un endroit où les gens ont envie de vivre. Les architectes des centaines de villes romaines fondées entre 300 av. J.-C. et 150 ap. J.-C. ont été guidés par cette idée. Comme eux, David Macaulay s''en est inspiré pour dessiner les plans de Verbonia et faire revivre l''effort des hommes et les techniques qui donnèrent, voici 2000 ans, naissance aux villes nouvelles des bâtisseurs romains.

A future archeologist finds the remnants of a mysterious ancient people— us—in a wry satire that is "a marvel of imagination and . . . wonderfully illustrated" ( The New York Times). It is the year 4022, and the entire ancient country of Usa has been buried under many feet of detritus from a catastrophe that occurred back in 1985. Howard Carson, an amateur archeologist, is crossing the perimeter of an abandoned excavation site when he feels the ground give way beneath him. Suddenly, he finds himself at the bottom of a shaft, which, judging from the DO NOT DISTURB sign hanging from an archaic doorknob, is clearly the entrance to a still-sealed burial chamber. Carson''s incredible discoveries, including the remains of two bodies, one laid to rest on a ceremonial bed facing an altar that appeared to be a means of communicating with the Gods and the other lying in a porcelain sarcophagus in the Inner Chamber. These dramatic discoveries give Carson all the clues he needs to piece together the entire civilization—which he gets utterly wrong. The acclaimed author and illustrator of Castle and Pyramid, David Macaulay presents a wonderfully tongue-in-cheek satire of both historical presumption and American self-importance.

Through concise text and richly detailed black and white illustrations we come to know the philosophy of life and death in ancient Egypt.