The Capitol: The Surprising Biography of an American Building
Brian Jay Jones
Jun 2026 · Penguin Random House Audio
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infoThis book will become available on June 2, 2026. You will not be charged until it is released.
About this audiobook
An in-depth exploration of the design and construction of the US Capitol building, from New York Times bestselling author of Jim Henson and Becoming Dr. Seuss
The Capitol is a unique biography of a place, encompassing architecture, history, politics, popular culture, and race in a fascinating exploration of our Capitol's secret history; a history rife with political intrigue, assassination attempts, thwarted bombings, and gunmen on the run.
Spanning across three centuries of American history, it focuses on iconic and easily recognizable names and personalities from the past—from George Washington to Fiorello LaGuardia—as well as countless colorful characters readers may not have heard of before, with a focus on restoring the stories of enslaved people. As The Capitol will make clear, even as the building itself was slowly rising from the swamps of Washington, DC, the conflicts were just getting started.
The story of the Capitol is the story of America itself, and, for the first time, that story will be told in this sweeping, aspirational biography of the building at the very heart of the American experiment.
The Capitol is a unique biography of a place, encompassing architecture, history, politics, popular culture, and race in a fascinating exploration of our Capitol's secret history; a history rife with political intrigue, assassination attempts, thwarted bombings, and gunmen on the run.
Spanning across three centuries of American history, it focuses on iconic and easily recognizable names and personalities from the past—from George Washington to Fiorello LaGuardia—as well as countless colorful characters readers may not have heard of before, with a focus on restoring the stories of enslaved people. As The Capitol will make clear, even as the building itself was slowly rising from the swamps of Washington, DC, the conflicts were just getting started.
The story of the Capitol is the story of America itself, and, for the first time, that story will be told in this sweeping, aspirational biography of the building at the very heart of the American experiment.
About the author
Brian Jay Jones is the critically acclaimed, bestselling biographer of some of the world’s most iconic creative geniuses. Born in the Midwest and raised in the Southwest, Brian has a degree in English from the University of New Mexico. He spent more than two decades as a public policy analyst and speechwriter for thought leaders and elected officials at all levels of government, including nearly ten years in the US Senate. He presently lives in New Mexico.
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