[FULL DISCLOSURE: I received my copy of this book free from the author for purposes of reviewing it. I was not paid for this review and the opinion expressed is purely my own]
I received Jewel of the Mall in the mail the other day not quite knowing what to expect from a coffee-table book about the National World War II Memorial. I thought it would be a book of pictures full of accompanying text attempting to put them into context. This is not the case though, this book is 116 pages of great pictures that convey the feeling of majesty and grandeur you get from actually being there. An example of the stunning imagery contained in the book is below:
Photo ©Stephen R. Brown 2005 used with permission
I got the chance to visit the monument in 2009 after a 24 hour flight delay and the memorial itself is very impressive and does an awesome job celebrating and memorializing both the triumph and sacrifices of our WWII veterans. This book does justice to the reality by providing some very powerful and at times, moving pictures of the memorial and some of the veterans who have visited it since its opening. The book includes sections on the way the memorial was designed and how the massive amount of bronze-work was sculpted and created before being put into place. Lastly, the book highlights the work of Honor Flight in helping veterans get to Washington to see the memorials to the wars in which they fought.
If you have ever visited this book is the perfect companion to show friends and family what they missed. If you have not been able to visit, this book is the next best thing to being there. The photos are vivid and moving at the same time. This book full of beautiful pictures should be on every veterans table and in the homes of anybody interested in seeing how our nation finally honored the “Greatest Generation” with a tribute on the National Mall. A truly superb work of photography.