BOOK REVIEWS
Books are important. CharacterTowns.org selects and discusses current publications and works from previous generations that still hold wisdom for contemporary city-building. The review also includes published reviews and Youtube links to discussions by or about the author. Books are selected from the attached Suggested Readings.
Backdoor Revolution: The Definitive Guide to ADU Development by Kol Peterson.
Accessory Dwelling Units are a form of residential infill housing that are poised to revolutionize housing in the United States. […]
Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community by Robert D. Putnam
Nearly 20 years after publication, Bowling Alone still stands as the seminal work of the socialization of American twentieth century society; establishing […]
Brunelleschi’s Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture
Brunelleschi’s Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture [2000] by Ross King has given us a highly readable and fascinating story […]
Building A Vibrant Community: How Citizen-Powered Change Is Reshaping America
by Quint Studer “Every community wants to become a great place to live and work. The why is no mystery: We […]
Career Worth Planning: Starting Out and Moving Ahead in the Planning Profession by Warren Jones & Natalie Macris
Now that your planning degree is in sight or in hand, how and where can you find your “dream job?” […]
Character Towns, Positioning Small Cities and Towns for the New Economy by Bill Kercher
Character Towns was written for people interested in planning, designing and managing small towns and cities. The presentation is for […]
Cities by Lawrence Halprin
Cities by Lawrence Halprin is one of those books from the 1960s when idealism in city planning was blooming, design was […]
Cities in American History
Small cities and towns have evolved in American history since the initial European discovery. Cities in America describes the evolution […]
Cities of Knowledge, Cold War Science and the Search for the Next Silicon Valley by Margaret Pugh O’Mara
The premise is that the “cities of knowledge”, such as Silicon Valley, were not the result of random, market driven forces, […]
Citistate Seattle: Shaping a Modern Metropolis
Citistate Seattle: Shaping a Modern Metropolis by Mark Hinshaw, [Planners Press, American Planning Association, 170 pages, 1999] was inspired by Neal Peirce’s […]