Roman Antics

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A pigeon carrying an important message takes the reader on a unique tour through Rome. As we follow the path of this somewhat wayward bird, we discover that Rome is a place where past and present live side by side. It is a city that has been recycling itself for two thousand years, but unlike a museum, Rome displays its remarkable history without respect for chronology. A new electric bus travels over cobblestone streets just ten feet above the floor of an ancient stadium. Inscriptions from tombs and temples share wall space with neon. Every time a corner is turned there is a surprise, just as every turn of the page brings a new perspective. This juxtaposition of ancient and modern, as seen with David Macaulay's ingenious vision, gives the reader an imaginative and informative journey through this wondrous city.

David Macaulay is an award-winning author and illustrator whose books have sold millions of copies in the United States alone, and his work has been translated into a dozen languages. Macaulay has garnered numerous awards including the Caldecott Medal and Honor Awards, the Boston GlobeHorn Book Award, the Christopher Award, an American Institute of Architects Medal, and the Washington PostChildrens Book Guild Nonfiction Award. In 2006, he was the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship, given to encourage people of outstanding talent to pursue their own creative, intellectual, and professional inclinations. Superb design, magnificent illustrations, and clearly presented information distinguish all of his books. David Macaulay lives with his family in Vermont.

"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

"Even Italophiles may feel as if this clever paean to one of the world's great cities has shown them the real Rome for the first time." Publishers Weekly

"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, Boxed Review