The Bridge: How the Roeblings Connected Brooklyn to New York

This graphic novel details the Brooklyn Bridge's construction over the course of more than a decade. John Augustus Roebling and his son Washington shared the ambitious goal of designing a bridge over the East River. When John passed away after an accident on the pier in 1869, Washington single-handedly ran the project. This was only the beginning of a series of challenges, including further accidents and deaths among the work crew, negative press, a scrupulous and difficult board of trustees, and the influence of greedy politicians. When Washington became ill with the bends, his wife, Emily, took over the day-to-day operations overseeing the crew and negotiating with the board of trustees. Duvall's illustrations effectively convey the beauty and utility of the bridge as it came to fruition, as well as Washington and Emily's charged emotions. The art deftly builds excitement even during the calmer scenes, zooming in on the smallest details and back out to the big picture—precisely what Washington and Emily had to do to solve the puzzle of the bridge's construction.