Description

Rome Antics concludes with an aerial map of the city, marked with the pigeon’s flight path. Roman sites from the Arch of Constantine to the Pantheon are briefly described as well. This lovely visual serenade to Rome is a delight for anyone who could fall in love with such a city as this. (All ages)

“Somewhere in the Italian hills, a homing pigeon is released. She soars quickly and follows an old road, which (of course) leads to Rome.” So begins Caldecott Medal-winning artist David Macaulay’s visually festive journey that tracks the whimsical flight of a homing pigeon through the archways, over the terra-cotta rooftops, and between the columns of this most ancient and vibrant city: “Instead of traveling directly to her destination, which is standard pigeon procedure, she decides to take the scenic route.” Macaulay’s angle of vision pans back and forth between the pigeon’s-eye view and that of a roaming cinematographer. The effect is a kaleidoscope of whirling, swooping, dizzying images that must resemble flight itself. Macaulay’s intricately crosshatched pen-and-ink images of Rome–with its ancient amphitheater, Colosseum, Temple of Hercules, elaborate fountains, and bustling cafes (with a feast of crumbs for a travel-weary pigeon)–provide a dazzling display of architectural finery. We are so swept up in the homing pigeon’s divergent path–marked on the black-and-white vistas by a thin red line–that we momentarily forget she has a task at talon. All is explained in the uplifting one-word message joyfully delivered by the pigeon to the sketch artist (Macaulay himself?) shown at work in the last scene of the book.

“Macaulay’s latest celebration of architecture delights in showing how past and present coexist in this ancient city. . . . A visual love letter to the city of Rome. A natural choice for classroom use and a terrific way to whet readers’ appetites for Macaulay’s earlier titles, such as City.” Booklist, ALA
“Wonderful! Macauley’s lively yet precise drawing of bits and pieces of Rome forms a witty masterpiece!
The more familiar you are with the architecture of the City of Rome, the more you will cherish this book!
It is also a wonderful introduction to the city for a child: Rome can be overwhelming and in Rome Antics Macauley makes the city into child’s play!”

David Macaulay: An illustrated journey through Rome | TED Talk