Review by Choice Review
Egyptomania is well known to have gripped Western culture since Howard Carter discovered King Tut's tomb in the 1920s. Much less apparent are its earlier manifestations, especially as an influential form of memorial architecture in the US in the 19th century. Giguere (Penn State, York) explores the latter subject chronologically and in-depth, though she focuses primarily on commemorative examples from New England and the mid-Atlantic between c. 1790 and the 1930s. She effectively argues that although less known than Greek and Gothic revival architectural styles, Egyptian revival gateways, sphinxes, and obelisks were repeatedly and intentionally incorporated into the commemorative landscapes of cemeteries or public sites because of their associations with eternity and grandeur. Obelisks were additionally linked to technological innovation and, in the case of the majestic Washington Monument (the focus of one of Giguere's chapters), came to be appropriated as "characteristically American," influencing innumerable future monuments. In the process, Giguere provides fascinating background on the abiding interest American culture has had in all things Egyptian. Although it assumes a familiarity with specialized artistic vocabulary, this adequately illustrated scholarly volume makes an important contribution to American cultural studies. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and above. --Julia K. Dabbs, University of Minnesota--Morris
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
