Guardians of Michigan: Architectural Sculpture of the Pleasant Peninsulas

Jeff Morrison

$49.95

Publication Date: September 12th, 2022

Publisher:

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN REGIONAL

ISBN:

9780472133215

Pages:

464

Usually Ships in 1 to 5 Days

Description

Guardians of Michigan profiles the extraordinary architectural sculpture found in both the pleasant peninsulas of the Great Lakes State. Author Jeff Morrison spent years exploring Michigan’s largest cities and smallest towns, using telephoto photography to capture the sculptural details hidden from the naked eye, and researching the beautiful historic architecture he encountered. Organized alphabetically by city, each section documents the history and design of an individual building, accompanied by beautiful photos of the building and its unique ornamentation.

The buildings profiled in Guardians of Michigan range from county courthouses, churches, and government buildings constructed during the 1800s, to skyscrapers with intricate sculptural decoration too far above street level for passersby to see. As a result, the book highlights examples of Gothic, Romanesque Revival, Beaux Arts, as well as Art Deco and Art Moderne. Guardians of Michigan is a loving tribute to the architecture of the state, preserving forgotten stories and beautiful buildings for all readers to enjoy.

About the Author

Jeff Morrison is a historian and photographer whose first book, Guardians of Detroit: Architectural Sculpture in the Motor City, was named a Michigan Notable Book by the Library of Michigan, received a 2020 Midwest Book Award from the Midwest Independent Publishers Association, and received a 2019 State History Award from the Historical Society of Michigan.

Praise for Guardians of Michigan: Architectural Sculpture of the Pleasant Peninsulas

"'Guardians of Michigan,' by Detroit author, photographer and architectural historian Jeff Morrison, takes readers on a trip across the Lower and Upper Peninsulas of Michigan in search of the most illustrative embellishments on some of Michigan’s most important historical structures. . . It’s hefty, but it’s worth it."
—City Pulse
— Bill Castanier

Named a 2023 Michigan Notable Book
— Michigan Notable Book

Finalist: Midwest Independent Publishers Association (MIPA) 2023 Midwest Book Award in Nonfiction – Arts/Photography/Coffee Table Books
— MIPA Midwest Book Award

Winner: Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU)'s 2023-2024 Stuart D. and Vernice M. Gross Award for Literature
— SVSU Stuart D. and Vernice M. Gross Award for Literature

"a 2023 Michigan Notable Book and a tour de force resource for architectural, art, cultural, and Michigan-focused
historians and scholars. . . . Morrison’s photographs, of which there are more than 1,200 in Guardians of Michigan, brilliantly capture the sculptures that adorn buildings around the state. Part of the magic of Morrison’s photos is that they urge us to slow down and pay attention to the artistic details that we often overlook when whizzing by in our automobiles."
— The Michigan Historical Review