The U.S. Capitol: A Vision in Stone

Perhaps the most beautiful of all Federal Government buildings and certainly one of the most recognizable, the U.S. Capitol viewed from any angle seems both majestic in its architectural strength and authoritatively representative of the great legislative power within. How ironic then to discover that the original building was a) not nearly as stately as it is today, b) was initially designed by a Scottish-trained physician living on the British West Indies island of Tortola, and c) went through many changes and accretions at the hands of four more architects over 150-plus years before it finally became the monument we know today. Like much else in Washington, the Capitol came about in spite of intense political and artistic wrangling, and this extras-laden DVD presents this information in a highly entertaining and clever way in six stand-alone programs offering exceptional 3-D quality graphics, candid interviews with historians and architects who tell insider stories of the Capitol's history, and supplemental DVD-ROM materials that include a list of all members of Congress who have served in the Capitol. A fine reference source on a national landmark, this is definitely recommended for high school, academic and public library reference collections. Aud: H, C, P. (J. Carlson)