The Capitol: The Surprising Biography of an American Building
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.
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The Capitol: The Surprising Biography of an American Building
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.
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The Capitol: The Surprising Biography of an American Building

The Capitol: The Surprising Biography of an American Building

by Brian Jay Jones
The Capitol: The Surprising Biography of an American Building

The Capitol: The Surprising Biography of an American Building

by Brian Jay Jones

Hardcover

$35.00 
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    Available for Pre-Order. This item will be released on June 2, 2026

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Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780593185001
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date: 06/02/2026
Pages: 400
Product dimensions: 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

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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