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PEOPLE & ARTS Thursday 12 July 2018
Show tells backstory of icons like Rushmore, Lady Liberty

By BETH J. HARPAZ by giving "America a gift of
Associated Press this great French figure of
Did you know that the origi- liberty."
nal symbolism of the Statue The statue is often roman-
of Liberty had nothing to ticized as a symbol of wel-
do with welcoming immi- come for immigrants, partly
grants? due to its location within
And that Mount Rushmore sight of Ellis Island, where
was basically built as a millions of immigrants ar-
scheme to get road-trip- riving in the U.S. were pro-
pers to make the trip out to cessed.
South Dakota? They could see Lady Liberty
You'll hear the inside story as their ships pulled into the
on these icons and others harbor. But Ellis Island didn't
from Geoffrey Baer, host of open until 1892, six years
the PBS television series "10 after the statue was dedi-
That Changed America," in cated in 1886.
three new episodes airing "So it wasn't until later that
this summer. In addition to the statue took on this ad-
famous monuments, other ditional new meaning as
episodes focus on streets a kind of beacon to immi-
that changed America — grants," Baer said.
like New York's Broadway LINCOLN MEMORIAL
— and on modern marvels In this Dec. 9, 2016, file photo, the faces of the presidents that make up the Mount Rushmore Abraham Lincoln signed
like the Hoover Dam. monument are shown near Keystone, S.D. the Emancipation Procla-
Baer is based in Chicago, Associated Press mation declaring "all per-
where he works for the lo- some excerpts from the Baer said. So he decided gift from France to Amer- sons held as slaves" to be
cal public television station podcast, edited for brevity to "create the world's big- ica, but what was the free. But almost nothing
WTTW and also gives tours and clarity. gest roadside attraction." meaning of the gift? at the Lincoln Memorial in
for the Chicago Architec- MOUNT RUSHMORE Originally the carvings were Baer says America was Washington, D.C., mentions
ture Foundation. When cars were a new going to depict heroes of seen in the late 19th cen- slavery.
He spoke about the show form of transportation, "a the American West, but tury as a "beacon of de- That's because the intend-
and the backstory of some state official in South Dako- that wasn't deemed a big mocracy and freedom" in ed message of the Lincoln
of the monuments fea- ta really didn't think in the enough draw, so the con- an era when French de- Memorial was "that the
tured in the episode airing early days of the road trip cept was changed to presi- mocracy was eroding. So Civil War was really brother
July 17 in an interview with that scenery was going to dents. the French used the statue against brother and now
AP Travel's weekly podcast be enough" to lure people STATUE OF LIBERTY as a way of sending "a mes- we've reconciled," Baer
"Get Outta Here !" Here are to drive all the way there, The Statue of Liberty was a sage" to their own country said. q

'A Terrible Country' is a wonderful novel

By ANN LEVIN ting on the wrong side of why I liked the fact that
Associated Press the oligarchs. While Andrei they all looked alike, but I
"A Terrible Country: a Nov- is initially put out by Dima's did."
el" (Viking), by Keith Gessen request, he isn't unhappy But basically Andrei is a
With the United States in an to leave New York. His girl- good guy who feels guilty
uproar about Russian med- friend has just dumped when he gets impatient
dling in its election, it's a him, and he's hoping the with his grandmother and
good time to brush up on change of scenery might offers up incisive, politically
the country's former Cold jump-start his stalled aca- charged commentary on
War enemy. Here to help is demic career. the sweeping changes un-
Russian-born emigre Keith But unbeknownst to Andrei, der way in Putin's Russia.
Gessen, whose hilarious, Baba Seva has dementia The other unforgettable
heartbreaking second nov- and is hard of hearing. And character is Andrei's grand-
el, "A Terrible Country," may since Dima has already mother, an indomitable
be one of the best books sublet his apartment across force of nature. Gessen's
you'll read this year. the hall, Andrei has to move portrait of her is tender,
The novel is narrated by into their old bedroom. Oh, and readers will be hard-
33-year-old Andrei, who, the humiliation! pressed to find a more nu-
like the author, is a Soviet One of the pleasures of the anced and poignant de-
Jew who came to the Unit- novel is listening to Andrei's piction of what it means to
ed States at age 6, and it hyper-intelligent, wry and lose your memory.
recounts the year he spent ironic voice. At times he Indeed, Baba Seva is the
in Moscow taking care of can be petty and arrogant, one who lends the novel
his aging grandmother. self-righteous and ingratiat- its title. Early on, she can't
He moved back on the ing, not to mention slightly remember who Andrei is
eve of the 2008 financial clueless about women. or why he's in Moscow.
meltdown at the behest Here he is, noticing all the When he reminds her, she
of his businessman brother, gorgeous blond women in gets upset. "This is a terrible This cover image released by Viking shows "A Terrible
Dima, who had to flee the black pencil skirts on Mos- country," she says to him. Country," a novel by Keith Gessen.
country suddenly after get- cow's streets. "I don't know "My (daughter) took you.q Associated Press