Best Selling Books by Lynn Curlee

With extraordinary paintings and a moving narrative, award-winning author illustrator Lynn Curlee tells the story of some of humankind’s greatest feats and explores a timeless desire of countless civilizations: to leave a permanent mark on the Earth—now with a new look! The Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The Colossus of Rhodes. The Great Pyramid at Giza. For centuries, these names have inspired wonder and mystery. They are but three of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. This book investigates and illustrates how they must have appeared at their peak, pondering the questions that have fascinated researchers and archaeologists for decades: What purpose did these structures have for the societies that built them? How did they achieve the means necessary to construct such intricate and innovative temples and statues? Most of these masterpieces of human achievement have long since crumbled into dust. But their legacy survives, and these triumphs of human vision, architecture, and creativity have become the stuff of legends.

Award-winning author-illustrator Lynn Curlee’s “exquisitely detailed…reverent, absorbing homage” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) to the Statue of Liberty—now with a new look! “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…” These famous words mark the pedestal of the most colossal metal statue ever made, and perhaps the most famous and beloved sculpture in the world: the Statue of Liberty. Lifting her torch high above the waters of New York Harbor, Lady Liberty has welcomed generations of people seeking freedom and a better way of life in America. This book traces the evolution of the statue’s design and details the monumental feat of its construction, from the commissioning of the French sculptor who designed the giant statue to its assembly in puzzle-like copper segments suspended from a system of iron girders. On a cloudy day in 1886, Lady Liberty’s face was unveiled at last. And in 1986, for the occasion of her centennial celebration, she was treated to an extensive renovation, so that the light of Liberty might continue to enlighten the world.

Award-winning author-illustrator Lynn Curlee’s “wonderful picture book” (School Library Journal) offers a compelling visual history of the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” the Brooklyn Bridge—now with a new look! “It so happens that the work which is likely to be our most durable monument, and to convey some knowledge of us to the most remote posterity, is a work of bare utility; not a shrine, not a fortress, but a bridge.” So wrote one architectural critic of the Brooklyn Bridge, one of the grandest and most eloquent monuments to the American spirit ever produced. Beneath the Brooklyn Bridge’s triumphant arches lie astonishing tales of loss, deception, genius, and daring. Over the fourteen-year course of its construction, there was an underwater fire, fraud, and many deaths, including that of designer and chief engineer, John A. Roebling. When the bridge was finished, as part of the opening day festivities, the president, and two mayors crossed it. Its magnificent site, breathtaking span, cutting-edge technology, and sheer beauty have made it the subject of poems, paintings, photographs, novels, plays, and movies.

Publisher Description

With art that is as magnificent as the towering buildings it depicts, this book details the history of skyscrapers. From the Pyramid at Gaza to the Eiffel Tower to the World Trade Center, Curlee delves into one of man''s endless fascinations--building as high into the sky as possible. Full color.

With keen attention to detail, Curlee explores the history and the people behind the building of the Parthenon in ancient Greece. With paintings that evoke the glory of the birth of western civilization, Curlee revitalizes the history of the Western world''s most recognizable structure. Full color.

Award-winning author-illustrator Lynn Curlee turns his brush to the myths of ancient Greece, crafting a work of boundless creativity and beauty—now with a new look! Tales about proud gods and goddesses, fabulous creatures, ferocious beasts, and brave heroes from the world of Greek mythology have captured the imaginations of readers young and old for centuries. Now see them brought to life like never before! From the fierce Chimera to the magnificent Phoenix, from the story of Jason and the Golden Fleece to the legend of Perseus and the Gorgon Medusa, this book brings to life a world where lowly mortals can either be favored or destroyed by powerful gods and goddesses and where kings and queens must bow before Zeus and his brethren. It’s a place where nymphs and centaurs roam to the music of Pan’s flute and the hungry Cyclops and Minotaur lurk in the shadows—a magical place of love, danger, and imagination.

All aboard for this bold and graphic visual history of trains and railroads by award-winning author-illustrator Lynn Curlee—now with a new look! A symbol of adventure and possibility, trains have been getting people and things to where they need to go for almost two centuries! First, steam engines hissed billowing clouds into the air, then gleaming diesel locomotives pulled boxcars, freight cars, and sleek passenger cars north, south, east, and west. The story of how trains began barreling across the landscape is one of new machines, new inventions, new jobs, and new hopes. Railroad travel started with steam-powered wagons on a tramway and developed into a technology that would change the day-to-day life of Americans in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries—and forever connect one coast to another.

A searing photo-illustrated historical memoir from the LGBTQIA+ frontlines of the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s. Before COVID-19 made "pandemic" a household word in 2020, there was the AIDS pandemic of the 1980s and 1990s. Author Lynn Curlee explores the parallels and the difference as he recounts living in New York and Los Angeles when the disease silently took hold of the gay community. As the disease became a full-blown public health crisis, Curlee watched in horror at the devastating progression of HIV/AIDS, the staggering losses endured, and divisive politics and discrimination that cost many people their lives. With honesty and heart, Curlee tells the stories of the many friends and loved ones that he lost to the disease, including his own life partner. LGBTQ+ rights and access to health care continues to be threatened today. The Other Pandemic is a stark and strong reminder of how history speaks to the present, and this window to the past is a valuable tool for understanding our current cultural landscape. “HEARTBREAKING! This memoir of the AIDS plague is a powerful reminder to those of us who miraculously lived through it — and a valuable eye-opener for younger generations who can never allow this to happen again. With the COVID pandemic on everyone’s radar, there couldn’t be a more teachable moment. Author Lynn Curlee grabs this pulpit by the throat and fearlessly makes the case that we must never forget.” — Sam Irvin, filmmaker and author "Reading The Other Pandemic was a very personal journey for me. I lost my stepfather to AIDS in 1993 when he was just 44 years old. The way Lynn shares his own life experiences a gay man living during this historic time of loss and perseverance is so insightful, and incredibly important to share with those who were not there firsthand to experience it." — Carol Bennett, daughter of Tim Bennett, a major character in THE OTHER PANDEMIC "Reading The Other Pandemic: An AIDS Memoir is akin to settling in with a dear, dear friend for a long-overdue catchup. Lynn Curlee’s effortless and evocative prose is much more than a poignant account of a not-distant-past epidemic that galvanized the LGBTQ+ community. It is a deeply personal and brave story of chosen families, political deafness, and hard-fought resolve. Curlee both broke my heart and mended it." —Jeffrey Dale Lofton, author of Red Clay Suzie "The Other Pandemic is a poignant and raw examination of the AIDS crisis that highlights how much the past shapes our present. Lynn Curlee has accomplished something beautiful here—I could not put it down. I am grateful he chose to share his loved ones with the world." — Leo Rocha, Journalist and GLAAD "20 under 20" honoree

The author provides a tour through baseball history with this tribute to America''s favorite ballparks.

A tragic story of a cultural icon—dance prodigy, sex symbol, LGBTQ+ pioneer—this compelling work of narrative nonfiction chronicles a life of obsessive artistry and celebrity of Vaslav Nijinsky. With one grand leap off the stage at the 1909 premiere of the Ballets Russes''s inaugural season, Nijinsky became an overnight sensation and the century''s first superstar, in the days before moving pictures brought popular culture to the masses. Perhaps the greatest dancer of the twentieth century, Nijinsky captured audiences with his sheer animal magnetism and incredible skill. He was also half of the most famous (and openly gay) couple of the Edwardian era: his relationship with Serge Diaghilev, artistic director and architect of the Ballets Russes, pushed boundaries in a time when homosexuality and bisexuality were rarely discussed. Nijinsky''s life was tumultuous--after marrying a female groupie he hardly knew, he was kicked out of the Ballets Russes and placed under house arrest during World War I. Unable to work as he once did, his mental health deteriorated, and he spent three decades in and out of institutions. Biographical narrative is interspersed with spotlights on the ballets the dancer popularized: classic masterworks such as Afternoon of a Faun, The Firebird, and of course, the shockingly original Rite of Spring, which caused the audience to riot at its premiere. Illustrated with elegant, intimate portraits as well as archival art and photographs.

Traces the development of different crafts in man''s search for the secret of flight.

Describes how this patriotic shrine and tourist attraction was conceived, designed, and created by the dedicated artist Gutzon Borglum.

"On April 15, 2019 the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris was almost destroyed by fire, an event that shocked and riveted the entire world as it played out in real time on TV and across the internet. In Notre-Dame, award-winning author-illustrator Lynn Curlee builds a thrilling narrative around the story of the fire and its aftermath, along with the rebuilding of the historic cathedral, including captivating information about cathedrals, gothic architecture, French history (even Quasimodo, the famous Hunchback of Notre-Dame!), restoration of old buildings, heroism under fire, and the renovation of the World''s Cathedral."-- Provided by publisher.