From the Bookshelf of Baltimore County Public Library Summer Reading BCPL SRC …

[close] Have you ever thought about how the automobile has impacted not only our lives, but our homes? Think about how many of the establishments we pass every day are for the sole purpose of catering to a vehicle, or to the people stuck inside that vehicle on their way somewhere. When was the last time you walked anywhere? When was the last time you were able to walk somewhere?

This book looks at the history of land use in the United States from early colonial days to the present. It discusses how zoning and land use laws have changed the way we live and work, to our detriment, according to the author.

Some interesting tidbits include how the auto industry and its related industries intentionally pushed street cars and "light rails" out of business; how, as Americans, we deal with the nostalgia of wanting to live in a small town without actually knowing why we want to live in one; and ideas that are out there that may help us to undue, or at least mitigate the uncontrolled "growth" and suburban sprawl.

A very interesting read that really makes one think about how we live in communities and what we might want to think about for the future, say the future when oil prices skyrocket and the 1970s embargo and gas rationing return to the United States.