Building Suburbia - by Dolores Hayden (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

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. Residents have sought home, nature, and community in suburbia. Developers have cherished different dreams, seeking profit from economies of scale and increased suburban densities, while lobbying local and federal government to reduce the risk of real estate speculation. Encompassing environmental controversies as well as the complexities of race, gender, and class, Hayden's fascinating account will forever alter how we think about the communities we build and inhabit.

Review Quotes

Praise for Dolores Hayden's Building Suburbia

"An engaging and richly illustrated account [that] makes a landmark contribution to this literature." --The Nation

"Important. . . . Inviting and lucid. . . . [Hayden] shows us that it was not inevitable that our space turned out quite this way." --Newsweek

"Provocative. . . . Well worth reading." --Detroit Free Press

"A rich and rewarding book with new and original material and surprising insights. . . . Beautiful and accessible writing . . . fascinating historical narratives. . . . Unlike most commentators, Hayden goes beyond analysis to propose solutions. . . . A welcome and significant addition." --Constructs

"A lively and informative overview of the American mania for suburban living. . . . Fascinating." --Audubon Naturalist News

"A fascinating book, as well as an important one." --Tulsa World

About the Author

Dolores Hayden, urban historian and poet, is professor of architecture, urbanism, and American studies at Yale. She is the author of several books on the American landscape, including The Power of Place: Urban Landscapes as Public History, Building Suburbia, and A Field Guide to Sprawl. A former president of the Urban History Association, Hayden is the recipient of a Radcliffe Graduate Medal, an American Library Association Notable Book Award, two awards for Excellence in Design Research from the National Endowment for the Arts, and a Guggenheim Fellowship, among other honors. She is also the author of two poetry collections, American Yard and Nymph, Dun, and Spinner.