Sidewalk Critic: Lewis Mumford's Writings on New York

by Robert Wojtowicz (Editor)

Mumford (1895-1990) is best known for his "Sky Line" columns in the New Yorker, where he served as architecture critic for over 30 years. Collected here are 50 articles originally published in that magazine between 1931 and 1940, covering all aspects of New York's architecture and providing an intimate look at one of the formative decades in the city's history. Distributed by Chronicle Books. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

Genres: New York, Architecture, Nonfiction, Cities, Urbanism, Essays

280 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Tyler Green · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read two-thirds of this. Mumford’s writing style is fascinating, full of grand statements of both praise and critique. Ultimately, I enjoyed the summary pages between the reviews more than the architectural detail of the reviews themselves.

Mumford’s essay on growing up in the city at the start of the book is charming. I was hoping for more urban life discussions in the rest of the book, but his New Yorker columns stuck to architecture (and a bit of art).

[keith koenigsberg · Rating 1 out of 5]

Stuffed shirt who obviously thought he was the wry little Oscar Wilde of architectural criticism. I was left un-entertained and un-informed. What a waste of good paper. Did this pass for witty in 1939?

[Adrienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mumford has a wonderful sardonic style that set the tone for all kinds of critics to follow. Great to read about terrific buildings as they are being built (and no so great ones). His life spanned horse-drawn New York elevated trains above the streets and even saw the jet age ensconced. His personal memories of life in New York before the first World War are invaluable. He lived 1895 to 1990.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Covering a selection of Mumford's early writing for The Skyline article, these little essays covering a variety of topics exposes the basis for his later extensive writings on the built environment.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A shining beacon of acerbic wit.