Okay, the title "Uptown Urban Studies Virtual Book Club" sounds more impressive than the idea behind the name. I try to keep up with interesting books that seem relevant to issues relating to building a better community, identifying the neighborhood's strengths and weaknesses, and contemplating both Uptown's (and surrounding neighborhoods) past and future. I know there's a lot of others out there who read those same books, too. The plan so far is that I'll announce a couple of weeks ahead of time what book I'll be posting about next, and then anyone who wants to can read along and join in the discussion.
My list of potential books includes those I already own or have read, as well as some I've seen that look interesting. Some possible titles (in no particular order) include:
- Christopher B. Leinberger, The Option of Urbanism: Investing in a New American Dream. (Washington, DC: Island Press, 2008).
- Jay Walljasper and Project for Public Spaces, Inc., The Great Neighborhood Book: A Do-it-Yourself Guide to Placemaking. (Gabriola Island, BC: New Society Publishers, 2007).
- Laura J. Lawson, City Bountiful: A Century of Community Gardening in America. (Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2005).
- Richard Florida, Who's Your City? (New York: Basic Books, 2008).
- Stacy Mitchell, Big-Box Swindle. (Boston: Beacon Press, 2006).
- Anthony Flint, This Land: The Battle over Sprawl and the Future of America. (Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006).
- Jerilou Hammett and Kingsley Hammett, editors. The Suburbanization of New York: Is the World's Greatest City Becoming Just Another Town? (New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2007).
- Richard Moe and Carter Wilkie, Changing Places: Rebuilding Community in the Age of Sprawl. (New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1997).
- Tony Hiss, The Experience of Place. (New York: Vintage Books, 1990).
- David Owen, Green Metropolis. (New York: Riverhead Books, 2009).
- Thatcher Imboden and Cedar Imboden Phillips, Uptown Minneapolis (Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2004).
- David A. Lanegren and Enrest R. Sandeen, The Lake District of Minneapolis: A History of the Calhoun-Isles Community. (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2004. Originally published 1979 by the Living Historical Museum).
- Donald Shoup, The High Price of Free Parking. (Chicago: the University of Chicago Press, 2005).
- Jane Jacobs, The Life and Death of Great American Cities. (New York: Random House, 1992).
- Anthony Flint, Wrestling With Moses: How Jane Jacobs Took on New York's Master Builder and Transformed the American City. (New York: Random House, 2009).
First up will be Big-Box Swindle, followed by Green Metropolis.
Any and all suggestions for additional books are welcome!
Great list -- I'll particularly second the Jane Jacobs, Donald Shoup, and Anthony Flint choices. Also, as a Magers & Quinn employee, thanks for linking to us rather than the megasite-which-shall-not-be-named...
ReplyDeleteVuchic, Vukan R. Transportation for Livable Cities. (New Bruswick, NJ: Center for Urban Policy Research, 1999).
ReplyDeleteWhyte, William H. The Social Life of Small Urban Space. (Project for Public Spaces, 2001). I've watched the video and haven't had the opportunity to read the book, but Whyte was very influential on public space design.
Also agree with Anthony Flint. Have 30 pages left. Good read.
- Thatcher
Great idea! So whats the "due date" for completing the first read? I'm going to try to participate if time allows.
ReplyDeleteSuburban Nation by Andres Duany et. al is another good one.
Geography of Nowhere by James Howard Kunstler
The Image of the City by Kevin Lynch (if you are interested in urban design and the psychology of how people experience cities)
Also:
ReplyDeleteThe Transportation/Land Use Connection by Terry Moore and Paul Thorsnes (American Planning Association, 1994) though it's a bit more technical on its policy recommendations.
The Transit Metropolis by Robert Cervero, as it has a number of case studies on various city transit systems. More of a text book but I do recall finding it very interesting.
The Continuing City by James E Vance, JR. but it's also a text book type book. It's sub title is "Urban Morphology in Western Civilization". Very good read on the physical changes to urban areas over time.
I'm willing to share my books in the event anyone wants to borrow one.
Thanks for the suggestions! Keep adding them if you think of more, and we'll get around to them all eventually.
ReplyDeleteIn the meantime, here's the schedule for the next few months:
Big Box Swindle: October 31
Green Metropolis: November 20
The Suburbanization of New York: December 18
I like this idea. I'm game. I have a few of those books!
ReplyDelete-Bill
Of course, I'd like it more if we met up in real life.
ReplyDelete