Rome Antics

By David Macaulay

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. 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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Oct 27, 1997
• ISBN: 9780547346298

David Macaulay

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 Globe–Horn Book Award, the Christopher Award, an American Institute of Architects Medal, and the Washington Post–Children’s 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.

Book preview

title page

Contents

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Title Page

Contents

Epigraph

Dedication

Rome Antics

SPQR

Copyright

About the Author

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Somewhere in the Italian hills, a homing Pigeon is released. She soars Quickly and follows an old road, which (of course) leads to Rome.

For Ruthie

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Appian Way

After a couple of hours, the sight of ancient tombs and the sound of distant car horns tell her she is getting close.

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Aurelian Wall

Finally, she sees the high brick wall that once surrounded the city, but now just interrupts it.

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Pyramid of Caius Cestius    Porta Ostiense

As she approaches an abandoned gatehouse, a most unprofessional thought enters her head.

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Reviews for Rome Antics

[detailmuse · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A birds-eye tour of Rome's architecture via drawings by the fabulous Macaulay. Specifically, it’s a homing pigeon’s eye, and it’s a bird on a mission, developing into a narrative with a sweet surprise ending.

[abruser_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"Rome Antics" by David Macaulay follows a pigeon from the country side into Rome. The pigeon takes a scenic route and finds herself in a lot of trouble and danger. Eventually the pigeon reaches the recepient and delivers the message. The story is a beautiful portrayl of Rome and it's wonders.

[llpollac · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A homing pigeon released from the suburbs of Rome decides to follow a scenic route to her destination. On the way, she leads the reader on a tour of a city where the ancient coexists with the modern. Detailed black-and-white pen and ink drawings highlighted by a red line showing the path of the pigeon illustrate this attractive volume. The illustrations take up most of the page and are often drawn from unusual perspectives in this pigeon's-eye-view of the city. Historical landmarks are identified on the lower margin of the left hand leaf, while a sentence of narration occupies the corresponding position on the right hand leaf. A guide to the buildings identified in the text is provided at the end of the book. The plot is thin, being nothing more than an excuse for the pigeon's flight through Rome, but the excellence of the illustrations and the love shown for the city of Rome, both ancient and contemporary, more than make up for this lack. Recommended for third through fifth grades.