Review: The City in HistoryAvis de journaliste - Kirkus ReviewsThe distillation of years of research, study, reflection and writing -- and the fulfillment of the promise of The Culture of Cities, The City in History will challenge, disturb and inform all who come to grips with its thesis and development. Virtually, here- through the central theme of the city- is world history. It is far more than the study of urban culture through the ages. It is a revitalization of civilizations- with focus particularly on the Minoan and Mycenaean cultures of ancient Greece, the age of Pericles, the disintegration of the Hellenistic period, ""richer in science than in wisdom"", and the deterioration when Rome took over. He explores those factors that made the Greek cities unique- the contribution brought to urban culture by Olympia, Delphi, Cos- the decline of even respect towards the gods. To this reader this is the most revealing section, for he approaches half-known facts and endows them with fresh vision and interpretation. The nature of the ancient city sets the note, until the concept of perpetual war and conquest was evolved, never to be lost. His portrayal of the Roman city concept, too, is different from the accepted one, as is their contribution to world history. Almost cynical he seems as he itemizes Rome at its best, its worst, and in survival with Byzantium. The emergence of the Christian culture, the role of monasticism, the struggle of the Middle Ages against the barbarians and how the urban movement was reborn out of insecurity. We then see Romanesque Europe, we study medieval town planning, the Baroque of the 16th and 17th centuries and the mercantile capitalism that emerged supreme. His final section forms a chant of dismay and discouragement- but not, finally, of despair, over the advance of urbanism gluttonously embracing all outlying districts, turning men into machines. But in the shadows he sees glimmers of hope, that the very instruments of our destruction can be turned around to be instruments of salvation, and that the ""One World Man"" can be the goal of the future city:- ""that of creating a visible regional and civic structure designed to make man at home with his deeper self and his larger world"". So closes one of the great achievements in social studies of our times. Commentaires des utilisateursReview: The City in History: Its Origins, Its Transformations, and Its ProspectsAvis d'utilisateur - David Eppenstein - GoodreadsA book definitely not meant for the casual reader. This is an understandably long and ponderous trek through the history of man's efforts at building cities. If this is a subject you're interested in ... Consulter l'avis complet Review: The City in History: Its Origins, Its Transformations, and Its ProspectsAvis d'utilisateur - Dan - GoodreadsThe City in History is a work of impressive scope, presenting nothing less than the development of cities in the Western world from antiquity through the mid-twentieth century. Overall, Mumford argues ... Consulter l'avis complet Review: The City in History: Its Origins, Its Transformations, and Its ProspectsAvis d'utilisateur - E. Bard - GoodreadsYes I had to read it for an urban geography course back in University over twenty years ago. Possibly the only text I ever found so fascinating I wanted to read it cover to cover. Just saw it on my bookshelf and remembered how much I value Consulter l'avis complet Review: The City in History: Its Origins, Its Transformations, and Its ProspectsAvis d'utilisateur - Jerry - GoodreadsUnreadable. Consulter l'avis complet Review: The City in History: Its Origins, Its Transformations, and Its ProspectsAvis d'utilisateur - Brad - GoodreadsMumford's style is fluid, always moving and carrying you along; coherent, clear without being simple. I don't know how or if his analysis of the urban environment have stood up over time, and if you ... Consulter l'avis complet Review: The City in History: Its Origins, Its Transformations, and Its ProspectsAvis d'utilisateur - Ruby - Goodreadsi need read this book for my MBA Consulter l'avis complet Review: The City in History: Its Origins, Its Transformations, and Its ProspectsAvis d'utilisateur - Jessica - GoodreadsTragic poetry, way ahead of its time. Consulter l'avis complet Review: The City in History: Its Origins, Its Transformations, and Its ProspectsAvis d'utilisateur - Ellen Keim - GoodreadsI found this book fascinating when I had to read it for a college course 35 years ago. Yes, it's been around for that long. (It was written in 1961.) I never thought about cities in the same way again ... Consulter l'avis complet Review: The City in History: Its Origins, Its Transformations, and Its ProspectsAvis d'utilisateur - Shawn - GoodreadsTedious, pretensious and utterly revolutionary. This book is more relevant today then when it was published in 1961. Time has only further justified Mumford's analysis. Very much worth the read if you can manage to get through it. Consulter l'avis complet | Avis des utilisateurs| 5 étoiles | | | 4 étoiles | | | 3 étoiles | | | 2 étoiles | | | 1 étoile | |
Tous les commentaires - 29 Tous les commentaires - 29 Tous les commentaires - 29 |
