Tilt: A Skewed History of the Tower of Pisa.NICHOLAS SHRADY During its 800-year history, Pisa's iconic i·con·ic adj. 1. Of, relating to, or having the character of an icon. 2. Having a conventional formulaic style. Used of certain memorial statues and busts. campanile campanile (kămpənē`lē, Ital. kämpänē`lā), Italian form of bell tower, constructed chiefly during the Middle Ages. has been surrounded by mystery and lore. Shrady peels away that mystique as he dissects the structure itself and its role in history. For instance, Galileo was said to have performed experiments testing acceleration by throwing objects off the tower. During World War II, the building was a suspected Italian army The Italian Army (Esercito Italiano) is the ground defense force of the Italian Republic. It recently (July 29th, 2004) became a professional all-volunteer force of 115,000 active duty personnel. hideout. Now, the structure is askew a·skew adv. & adj. To one side; awry: rugs lying askew. [Probably a-2 + skew. by more than 4 meters. Shrady considers its design and construction, as well as reasons for its tilt. Details of the recent effort to stabilize the tower are also included. Moreover, Shrady examines how this landmark has captured our imagination, making it one of the world's most famous tourist attractions. In a whimsical tribute to the Tower of Pisa, the book itself has been cut at an angle so as to tip sideways on the bookshelf. S&S, 2003, 161 p., b&w photos/illus., hardcover, $21.95. |
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