Overview
The Netherlands Carillon stands out in the American memorial landscape. Situated between Arlington National Cemetery and the Marine Corps War Memorial, the modernist design of this 127-foot steel bell tower is strangely at odds with its surroundings, much in the same way that its prominent place is at odds with its absence in American memory. In this book, Diederik Oostdijk reveals the intriguing history of this major monument hidden in plain sight. Given to the United States in the 1950s by the Dutch government as a gesture of gratitude for America’s role in the Dutch liberation during World War II and for the Marshall Plan aid that helped rebuild the Dutch economy, the carillon owes its conspicuous placement to the Cold War. Oostdijk traces the history of this monument, from its creation and the pageantry surrounding its presentation through its fall into disrepair and plans for its renewal. In so doing, he resolves the paradox of the carillon’s placement in Arlington and unearths a fascinating and compelling story of diplomacy and humanity. Interweaving art history, campanology, landscape architecture, literature, musicology, and diplomatic history, Bells for America recounts how the Netherlands and the United States reconstructed their national identities and fostered an international relationship in the postwar era through public art.
Full Product Details
Author: Diederik Oostdijk (Professor of English Literature, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
Publisher: Pennsylvania State University Press
Imprint: Pennsylvania State University Press
Volume: 29
Dimensions:
Width: 17.80cm
, Height: 2.50cm
, Length: 24.10cm
Weight: 0.726kg
ISBN: 9780271083773
ISBN 10: 0271083778
Pages: 256
Publication Date: 12 September 2019
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Professional & Vocational
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Out of stock
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Reviews
A fascinating story of a monument hidden in plain sight. --Alexander Nemerov, author of Soulmaker: The Times of Lewis Hine For my country, the Netherlands Carillon is a symbol of gratitude for the role the US played during and after World War II. It's a beacon of the lasting friendship between our countries that goes back more than 400 years. Studying the origin of the carillon serves as a constant reminder that we need to cherish this relationship, and I welcome the effort Diederik Oostdijk undertook to shine new light on this historic monument that stands tall over Washington, D.C. --Henne Schuwer, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the USA
A fascinating story of a monument hidden in plain sight. -Alexander Nemerov, author of Soulmaker: The Times of Lewis Hine For my country, the Netherlands Carillon is a symbol of gratitude for the role the U.S. played during and after World War II. It's a beacon of the lasting friendship between our countries that goes back more than four hundred years. Studying the origin of the carillon serves as a constant reminder that we need to cherish this relationship, and I welcome the effort Diederik Oostdijk undertook to shine new light on this historic monument that stands tall over Washington, D.C. -Henne Schuwer, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the United States
Author Information
Diederik Oostdijk is Professor of English Literature at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. He is the author of Among the Nightmare Fighters: American Poets of World War II and coeditor of Tales of the Great American Victory: World War II Politics and Poetics.
