Building Suburbia: Green Fields and Urban Growth, 1820-2000

by Dolores Hayden

Book Overview

A lively and provocative history of the contested landscapes where the majority of Americans now live. From rustic cottages reached by steamboat to big box stores at the exit ramps of eight-lane highways, Dolores Hayden defines seven eras of suburban development since 1820. An urban historian and architect, she portrays housewives and politicians as well as designers and builders making the decisions that have generated America's diverse suburbs...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0375727213
• ISBN13: 9780375727214
• Release Date: November 2004
• Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.2" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

Contemporary Overview

The author did in an excellent job in presenting a variety of issues. In my opinion though, her stronger suit is the historical aspect rather than some of later subjects she delves into in the text. It was refreshing to have a feminist critique, but this is more developed in the first part of the text and less interesting or less confined to the latter chapters. Paraphrasing another reviewer, there are parts of the text which begin to feel mechanical, again the latter part of the text. Despite stylistic critiques, I believe the text to be very good and importantly, recent in scope.

Informative and eye opening, but a bit mechanical

In the United States today, more people reside in suburban landscapes than in inner cities and rural areas combined. To contextualize what led to our peripheral migration, urban historian, Dolores Hayden timelines seven vernacular patterns in the history of suburban development. From the picturesque enclaves of the 1850s to the contemporary edge nodes, Hayden intricately documents the institutional policies and capitalistic motives that impacted suburban evolution. "Building Suburbia's" fundamental theme discloses the notion that our preferential geography for habitation has always been covertly dictated by corporate America. Hayden's research is didactic, eye-opening, and a great contribution to the urban literature. "Building Suburbia" is only tarnished by its near mechanical flow and diminutive demographic reach, appealing to urban and history enthusiasts and no one else.

Informational!

This book presents an interesting historical survey of suburban development in the United States since the early 19th century. The work is concise, well written and enlivened by many period illustrations. Unfortunately, all are small as well as black and white and many recent photographs, such as of Celebration, Florida, are anything but clear. However, at a time when our cities and suburbs need to consolidate, a better understanding of the history of suburban development such as provided by this book can certainly prove useful to anyone involved in the fields of planning and development.

Great Service

Ordered about two weeks before class started and the book came promptly and in good condition

The American Suburb in History

Building Suburbia is a capable synthesis of historical and recent scholarship on the development of the suburbs in America. Hayden, a professor of architecture and urbanism and professor of American Studies at Yale, knows what she is talking about. It was clear to me that this book is written for a general, rather then specialized audience.Hayden's writting style is easy to understand, and she provides multiple in text illustrations and photographs to illuminate the text. The book tracks the historical development of suburbs in time (the subtitle is "Green Fields and Urban Growth 1820-2000.) She starts with "Borderlands", then covers "Picturesque Enclaves", "Streetcar Buildouts", "Mail-Order and Self-Built Suburbs", "Sitcom Subrurbs", "Edge Nodes" and "Rural Fringes". This historical approach is book ended by an introduction with two chapters and a conclusion with two chapters.Hayden includes excellent end notes and a selected bibliography that is worthwhile to have on your shelf. Since this book was written in 2003, the bibliography is chock full of RECENT books on urban studies that allow the student or casual reader to follow up in any number of directions.Worth checking out.