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Parks for the People: A Story About Frederick Law Olmsted
Recounts the life of the man who designed New York City's Central Park
- GenresNew YorkNonfiction
64 pages, Library Binding
First published December 12, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 6, 2019
I was looking more for a book on HOW Olmsted designed Central and other parks, but this book focused more on his life. This is certainly a deficiency, not in the book itself, inherently. As a book on Olmsted, this was a fine overview, certainly not blogging down in detail. I would recommend for upper elementary or junior high, for a biography or research.
The discussions on how Olmsted pioneered the work that he did was the most valuable and interesting. I felt that the ending come far too abruptly, hardly mentioning two of Olmsted’s projects—Biltmore and the 1893 World’s Fair. Also lacking were details about the apparently complex interpersonal relationships that were part of Olmsted’s life.
Overall, a surface look at an interesting life, whose effects we live in today.
The discussions on how Olmsted pioneered the work that he did was the most valuable and interesting. I felt that the ending come far too abruptly, hardly mentioning two of Olmsted’s projects—Biltmore and the 1893 World’s Fair. Also lacking were details about the apparently complex interpersonal relationships that were part of Olmsted’s life.
Overall, a surface look at an interesting life, whose effects we live in today.
May 12, 2024
picked this up from the library alongside a literal children's picture book. nypl for the love of god pls give me a real book about frederick law olmsted
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March 28, 2021Frederick Law Olmsted is famous as the man who designed Central Park in New York City, as well as other famous parks. He is one of the men who invented the profession of landscape architecture before it was even a thing. According to this book, when FLO began, parks were barely a thing. That is, public parks, where anyone could go to enjoy green space, rich or poor, were barely conceived of. Rich people in Europe had deer parks reserved for their private hunting pleasure, and lots of people had green space in their back yard, but the new urban poor had nothing.
When Fred was a boy, rambling in the woods and fields was his greatest joy. He hated sitting still for school. His love of the outdoors at first seemed to make him unfit for any career. He worked as a clerk in a New York shipping business. He went to sea as a sailor. He tried farming. He published several books. He worked as manager of a mine in Colorado. Ever restless, he kept moving on.
His friend Calvert Vaux asked him to help create a design for New York’s Central Park. The two men’s design was accepted, and they went to work turning a marshy, rocky bunch of farmland into an oasis of natural beauty.
The work wasn’t seamless. Fred was hired, fired, re-hired, and re-fired. The financial overseer was penny-pinching and micro-managing, and caused Fred severe stress. Fred always had to fight for his vision of an open natural park against men who wanted a built-up park with money-making amusements. The partners of Olmsted and Vaux had had friction between them. Although they had a business partnership, Fred got the greater glory, and the men eventually separated.
The name of Frederick Law Olmsted did go down in history as better known than that of Calvert Vaux. Perhaps both men deserve the fame equally, but FLO will be remembered as a man who helped to change the world for the better. Now it is almost unthinkable that a major city will not provide its citizens with green spaces, and the denser the concrete and steel canyons have grown, the greater the need for those parks. I love parks more with each passing year, and I am grateful that Frederick Law Olmsted devoted his life to tirelessly creating and promoting them.
This short book, intended for young people, is notable for having a picture on almost every page.
When Fred was a boy, rambling in the woods and fields was his greatest joy. He hated sitting still for school. His love of the outdoors at first seemed to make him unfit for any career. He worked as a clerk in a New York shipping business. He went to sea as a sailor. He tried farming. He published several books. He worked as manager of a mine in Colorado. Ever restless, he kept moving on.
His friend Calvert Vaux asked him to help create a design for New York’s Central Park. The two men’s design was accepted, and they went to work turning a marshy, rocky bunch of farmland into an oasis of natural beauty.
The work wasn’t seamless. Fred was hired, fired, re-hired, and re-fired. The financial overseer was penny-pinching and micro-managing, and caused Fred severe stress. Fred always had to fight for his vision of an open natural park against men who wanted a built-up park with money-making amusements. The partners of Olmsted and Vaux had had friction between them. Although they had a business partnership, Fred got the greater glory, and the men eventually separated.
The name of Frederick Law Olmsted did go down in history as better known than that of Calvert Vaux. Perhaps both men deserve the fame equally, but FLO will be remembered as a man who helped to change the world for the better. Now it is almost unthinkable that a major city will not provide its citizens with green spaces, and the denser the concrete and steel canyons have grown, the greater the need for those parks. I love parks more with each passing year, and I am grateful that Frederick Law Olmsted devoted his life to tirelessly creating and promoting them.
This short book, intended for young people, is notable for having a picture on almost every page.
June 9, 2022
Another great book for children at home or at school. It is very well done with great information, fabulous pictures and would work to use as part of a study of professions with older students. Yes picture books can be used to launch their brains and creative thinking juices. Frederick Law Olmsted was a great man!
J
J
September 21, 2019
Story of Frederick Law Olmsted - kid's book, which filled me in on so much.
February 25, 2022
A youth reader book focusing on the life and work Frederick Law Olmsted. When I found this book I was looking for a good biography of the stellar landscape gardener. After what I learned from this book I’m even more determined to find a good biography.
February 25, 2014
Parks for the People: The Life of Frederick Law Olmsted by Julie Dunlap
Story is about Frederick as he grows up in cities and loves the country and plants.
He is in a school where he stays til the summer months and he is so glad to get outside. His father then sets him up with a designer.
He had many other jobs: a year at sea, farming at the Getty estate, then his father gave him money to buy a farm.
Can't wait to visit a park that he designed that is within driving distance. Know we will be amazed at his knowledge through the gardens.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
Story is about Frederick as he grows up in cities and loves the country and plants.
He is in a school where he stays til the summer months and he is so glad to get outside. His father then sets him up with a designer.
He had many other jobs: a year at sea, farming at the Getty estate, then his father gave him money to buy a farm.
Can't wait to visit a park that he designed that is within driving distance. Know we will be amazed at his knowledge through the gardens.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews