The New York Public Library
Euri and Jack make an important visit to the main branch of the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street. Built in 1911, this imposing marble building is guarded by the two marble “literary” lions, “Patience” and “Fortitude,” so named by New York Mayor Fiorello LaGaurdia during the Great Depression. The library is a center of intellectual life in New York and a beacon for scholars across the world.
Among the library’s attractions is the Rose Reading Room (below) where Jack and Euri meet Euri’s friend Professor Schmitt. With a 52-foot high ceiling and massive chandeliers, the reading room has a majestic feel.
Jack and Euri listen to the “Now That You’re Dead” introductory seminar to the underworld in the McGraw Rotunda. This beautiful vault-like space is decorated with murals depicting “the story of the recorded word.” Overhead is Euri’s favorite—the immortal Prometheus stealing the fire of knowledge from the gods and giving it to mortal mankind. Can you guess why this story appeals to her?