Arrive Magazine - November/December, 2009

First Class
OLD STORIES,
NEW BOOKS

A.C. Hollingsworth’s I’d Like the Goo-gen-heim is not exactly new—the children’s book will turn 40 next year. But it has been out of print almost since its original 1970

release, and was given a second chance only when a rare copy was discovered at a library sale. This reprint is as timely today as it was then, using the story of a little boy who spies New York’s Guggenheim Museum from Central Park and is drawn in by its Frank Lloyd Wright design to introduce young readers to modern art. After sounding out the museum’s name, Andy journeys inside and enjoys wandering among the Picassos and Légers. Hollings-worth was a talented artist who did paintings of the museum throughout its construction in the 1950s and never fell out of love with it.

48 illustrated pages, $14.95, guggenheimstore.org

To say Michael Weeks is passionate about Civil War history is a huge understatement. The author of The Complete Civil War Road Trip Guide personally visited more than 450 historic sites, important and obscure, before writing this book, which includes 10 detailed weekend itineraries covering every single major campaign of the war. These venues range from the famous battlefields of Gettysburg and Manassas to places such as Vermont, Idaho and New Mexico, which many readers will be surprised to discover played a role in the war between the North and the South. Whether you are a history bu; or simply enjoy driving, Weeks’ work, the first of its kind, is a perfect road trip copilot. 506 pages, $19.95, countrymanpress.com

Lawdy, Lawdy,
Look Who’s 40!

Since the show premiered on Nov. 10, 1969, American kids have been shown the way to Sesame Street, one of the first addresses they learned. But during the course of the show’s history, the furry likes of Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Grover and even Mr. Snuf-fleupagus have traveled around the world, delighting children from Indonesia to Israel. And now, Washington, D.C.’s Union Station hosts a special exhibit of photographs from these travels, “Sesame Street: The Longest Street in the World,” commemorating the groundbreaking show’s 40th anniversary and boundless appeal.

One of the breakout stars of Sesame Street, Elmo—no stranger to the nation’s capital, having appeared on the TV show The West Wing as well as being the youngest “person” to testify before Congress about funding for children’s education— spoke with Arrive about the exhibit and the program’s new season.

“Elmo’s been to China, Hong
Kong, Shanghai, Mexico and Paris,

places like that,” says the 3½ year old who has appeared on the show for decades. When not traveling, Elmo and his friends on Sesame Street host famous guests who stop by, visit and sometimes sing along with the residents there.

“Celebrity friends come to visit Elmo, like Kobe Bryant and Greg Kinnear,” he says, adding, “Elmo likes to name drop.”

Over the years, icons such as Jackie Robinson, the band R.E.M. and David Beckham have appeared on the show. More big names are scheduled to appear this season, including Ricky Gervais, Sarah Jessica Parker and Tiki Barber, but Elmo’s jet-set lifestyle and fancy friends haven’t yet gone to his head.