Electra to the Rescue

Electra to the Rescue brings young readers the captivating story of Electra Havemeyer Webb and her adventures in "America's attic." Illustrated throughout with archival images and full-color photographs of items from the Shelburne collection, the book is a splendid introduction not only to a dynamic, unconventional woman but also to the rich, colorful world of Americana - the "visual vernacular" of our nation's people. Electra's enthusiasm was in many ways childlike, and she collected things that fire the imagination of children: rag dolls, cast-iron banks, embroidery samplers, miniature circuses even a working paddle-wheeler. Here is a book that perfectly embodies Electra's lifelong mission: to teach, in a unique and fun way, the American tradition of craftsmanship and the often sublime beauty of simple, everyday objects.