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The Living City
Tells the stories of rejuvenated neighborhoods and business districts across the U.S., examines urban renewal disasters of the past, and explains how to reverse urban decay
Paperback
First published March 15, 1989
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 23, 2011
This book belongs on the bookshelf alongside Jane Jacobs' The Death and Life of Great American Cities and William H. Whyte's City: Rediscovering the Center. While Jacobs discussed what makes a great city and Whyte looks at why cities work the way they do, [Author: Roberta Brandes Gratz] completes the trilogy with a look at how great cities are made.
The continuity of ideas is no coincidence. It is rooted-in part-in Gratz's close relationship with Jane Jacobs, who it turn was mentored by Whyte. Moreover like Jacobs and Whyte, Gratz approaches the study of cities from a journalistic perspective. (She spent 15 years as a reporter for The New York Post and has traveled widely to other cities.) Finally, all three authors share a perspective that first-person observation is of paramount importance in understanding the how, what and why of a successful city works.
Although it is over 20 years old, The Living City holds up to the test of time. This is an all the more remarkable feat given the book's reliance on case histories that could have easily become dated. This is largely due to Gratz's deft extraction of timeless lessons from each study. (Another reason is the sad fact that many cities' approach to urban development has not evolved much over the past 20 years.)
The Living City is an invaluable resource for those wishing to know more about the power that small projects have in improving a city. It is required reading for anybody who considers themselves an urban advocate or activist. You will find yourselves reading and re-reading passages and applying the books lessons of what, and perhaps more importantly, what NOT to do to current challenges in your own community.
Gratz doesn't sugar coat the success stories-she illustrates that even small-scale improvements takes conviction, courage and a thick skin. But it also shows that such perseverance pays of in a way that no large-scale project ever can.
Check out my full review .
The continuity of ideas is no coincidence. It is rooted-in part-in Gratz's close relationship with Jane Jacobs, who it turn was mentored by Whyte. Moreover like Jacobs and Whyte, Gratz approaches the study of cities from a journalistic perspective. (She spent 15 years as a reporter for The New York Post and has traveled widely to other cities.) Finally, all three authors share a perspective that first-person observation is of paramount importance in understanding the how, what and why of a successful city works.
Although it is over 20 years old, The Living City holds up to the test of time. This is an all the more remarkable feat given the book's reliance on case histories that could have easily become dated. This is largely due to Gratz's deft extraction of timeless lessons from each study. (Another reason is the sad fact that many cities' approach to urban development has not evolved much over the past 20 years.)
The Living City is an invaluable resource for those wishing to know more about the power that small projects have in improving a city. It is required reading for anybody who considers themselves an urban advocate or activist. You will find yourselves reading and re-reading passages and applying the books lessons of what, and perhaps more importantly, what NOT to do to current challenges in your own community.
Gratz doesn't sugar coat the success stories-she illustrates that even small-scale improvements takes conviction, courage and a thick skin. But it also shows that such perseverance pays of in a way that no large-scale project ever can.
Check out my full review .
December 9, 2014
I was going to write a glowing review, but a guy named Yuri on here already did a better job than I would have done. So I second Yuri's review.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews