{"product_id":"empire-and-liberty-the-tied-histories-of-two-american-landmarks-9780807019689","title":"Empire and Liberty: The Tied Histories of Two American Landmarks","description":"\u003cb\u003eA 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\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eEmpire and Liberty\u003c\/i\u003e, 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. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe 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. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eEmpire and Liberty\u003c\/i\u003e raises questions such as: \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e- How could women embrace a Statue of Liberty that was erected before they had the right to vote? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e- How could African Americans believe in a nation dedicated to liberty that deliberately left them out? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e- 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? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eCook 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Vaneesa Cook\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Beacon Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 06\/09\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 280\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.14lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.26h x 6.25w x 1.02d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780807019689\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 05\/01\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVaneesa Cook holds a doctorate in U.S. history from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (2015). Her first book \u003ci\u003eSpiritual Socialists: Religion and the American Left\u003c\/i\u003e was published in fall 2019 by the University of Pennsylvania Press. She has also published articles in the \u003ci\u003eLA Review of Books\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eReligion \u0026amp; Politics\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eDissent, Sojourners, The Washington Post, Aeon\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eRaritan\u003c\/i\u003e, and more. She lives in Wisconsin and works as a writer, historian, and freelance editor.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Vaneesa Cook \/ Hardcover \/ English","offer_id":48449300988061,"sku":"9780807019689","price":38.4,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_c45f92c1-c136-4a1d-92a1-ddeed947440f.jpg?v=1781631648","url":"https:\/\/booksdeli.com\/products\/empire-and-liberty-the-tied-histories-of-two-american-landmarks-9780807019689","provider":"booksdeli.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}