Empire and Liberty

The Tied Histories of Two American Landmarks

De: Vaneesa Cook

Narrado por: Jonathan Todd Ross

A sweeping cultural history of two iconic landmarks that reflect the spirit, character, and values of the US—the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty—and the role they play in shaping American culture, US history, and international relations

In Empire and Liberty, historian Dr. Vaneesa Cook explores how the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty have served as lightning rods for debates about the irreconcilable tensions between empire and liberty that have existed since American independence, defining the contours of American identity.

The two landmarks, typically considered separately not comparatively, reflect much about the struggle of American identity. When studied in tandem, it becomes clear that they represent touchpoints for debates over ideas and ideals about who Americans are and what they want.

Empire and Liberty raises questions such as:

- How could women embrace a Statue of Liberty that was erected before they had the right to vote?

- How could African Americans believe in a nation dedicated to liberty that deliberately left them out?

- How much freedom could immigrants feel while stuck in low-wage jobs, facing discrimination and racism? How much could they appreciate the benefits of empire when they rarely reaped its fruits?

Cook illuminates how this story of two tied landmarks is essentially about the American people and their experiences—how they construed the structures as symbols of empire and liberty and how they imbued the structures with spirit and character.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Empire and Liberty explores this oxymoron and its centrality to American identity by historicizing New York’s Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty. Vanessa Cook combines rigorous research with fluid exposition to tell an original and imaginative story that has been hiding in plain sight. It is a story of inspiration and tragedy. It is a story that must be read, now more than ever.”
—Richard H. Immerman, author of Empire for Liberty: A History of American Imperialism from Benjamin Franklin to Paul Wolfowitz

“Cook’s Empire and Liberty takes a leading place among the refreshing new histories of monuments and their fascinating role in American politics and culture. Her book offers a sweeping account of how the themes of empire and liberty weave throughout US history—sometimes clashing and sometimes enhancing each other. An engaging and enlightening history!”
—Elizabeth Borgwardt, author of A New Deal for the World

“In this elegant book, Vaneesa Cook tells the story of two American icons and the contested ideals that they represent. At a moment when liberty is in peril and American empire faces criticism at home and abroad, Cook offers a gripping history not only of monument builders but also the visionaries, rebels, and ordinary citizens who have imagined, contested, and reimagined what it means to be American.”
—Thomas J. Sugrue, author of Sweet Land of Liberty: The Forgotten Struggle for Civil Rights in the North