Book Review Assignment For Introduction To Urban And Regiona

Book Review Assignment for Introduction To Urban And Regional Planning

1 URP 215: Introduction to Urban and Regional Planning Assignment 2: Book Review Assignment Select one book from the attached list and provide a critical review of the text. Reading the Book Start reading your book right away and do not wait until the assignment is due. Be an active reader of the book. Being an active reader can include the following: Sit at a desk with pencil and paper, or with your computer. As you read, stop frequently to summarize the argument, to note particularly clear statements of the book’s argument or purpose, and to describe your own responses.

If you have read in this active way, putting together the book review should be straightforward. Book Review: Written Content Some questions to keep in mind while reading the book: • What is the author’s central argument? • Does the author do what he or she says they are going to do? • Does the book make a contribution to the field of urban planning? • Does the book relate to a current debate or trend in urban planning? • Is the book well written? • How accurate is the information (e.g., the footnotes, bibliography, dates)? • Are the illustrations helpful? If there are no illustrations, should there have been? • Who would benefit from reading this book (professional planners, students, academics, others, etc.)? • Take note of the title. Does the book deliver what the title suggests it is going to deliver? • Observe the Table of Contents. Does the book cover all the ground you think it should? • The preface (often the richest source of information about the book), and the index (is it accurate, broad, deep?). Review Structure Your book review should address and/or include the following: • Complete bibliographic citation for the work (i.e., title in full, author, place, publisher, date of publication, edition statement, pages, special features [maps, color plates, etc.], price, and ISBN). • One paragraph identifying the thesis, and whether the author achieves the stated purpose of the book. • At least two paragraphs summarizing the book. • At least one paragraph on the book’s strengths. • At least one paragraph on the book’s weaknesses. • At least two paragraphs on your assessment of the book’s strengths and weaknesses. How did this book affect you? Would you recommend this book to others? Why or why not? 2 • At least one paragraph explaining the book's relevance to urban planning. In what way do some of the major themes or terms in the book relate to material covered in this course? • A concluding paragraph should be included. Writing a Book Review: Avoiding Common Pitfalls 1. Evaluate the text -- don’t just summarize it. While a succinct restatement of the text’s points is important, part of writing a book review is making a judgment. Is the book a contribution to the field? In what way(s) does it add to knowledge to the discipline of urban planning? Should this book be read and, if so, by whom? In other words, what is the appropriate audience for this text? 2. Do not use the table of contents as a structuring principle for your review. Try to organize your review around the book’s argument or your argument about the book. 3. Take note of important issues related to the book's topic that the author does not address in some way. If the book purports to be about ethnicity and planning and yet lacks a section on Native Americans, by all means, mention it, but keep such criticisms brief. 4. Do not use too many quotes from the book. One or two direct quotes are fine, but it is generally best to paraphrase or use short telling quotes within sentences. 5. It is recommended that you look at a few examples of book reviews before you get started. Look in the book review section of such relevant journals as the Journal of the American Planning Association, the Journal of Planning Education and Research, or the Journal of Urban Affairs. These are considered to be some of the leading journals in our field.

These journals are accessible electronically through EMU’s library system: Assignment Specifications Assignment Length: 3-5 pages Font: Times New Roman Font size: 12 point Spacing: Double line spacing Margins: Standard (1 inch on all sides) Spell-check! Proof read for grammar! Yes, this DOES matter!!! Assignment Due Date This assignment is due Tuesday, November 28, 2017 by 11:59PM. Attach the signed meeting agenda to your assignment and upload your assignment to Canvas. Please note whatever document you upload is the document that will be graded. No hard copies of this assignment will be accepted. 3 Book List 1. Calthorpe, Peter. 2013. Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change. Washington, DC: Island Press. 2. Spain, Daphne. 2016. Constructive Feminism: Women’s Spaces and Women’s Rights in the American City. Cornell University Press. 3. Florida, Richard. 2014. The Rise of the Creative Class - Revisited. Basic Books. 4. Gans, Herbert J. 1982. The Urban Villagers. The Free Press. 5. Hayden, Dolores. 2003. Building Suburbia: Green Fields and Urban Growth. New York: Pantheon. 6. Jackson, Kenneth. 1987. Crabgrass Frontier: The Suburbanization of the United States. London: Oxford University Press. 7. Jacobs, Jane. 1961. The Death and Life of Great American Cities. 8. Jones, David. 2010. Mass Motorization and Mass Transit. Indiana University Press. 9. Lynch, Kevin. 1960. The Image of the City. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. 10. Rybczynski, Witold. 2010. Makeshift Metropolis: Ideas About Cities. New York: Scribner. 11. Talen, Emily. 2012. City Rules: How Regulations Affect Urban Form. Washington, DC: Island Press. 12. Sugrue, Thomas J. 2005. The Origins of the Urban Crisis: Race and Inequality in Post- War Detroit. Princeton University Press. 13. Caro, Robert A. 1975. The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York. 14. Kuntsler, James Howard. 1995. The Geography and Nowhere: The Rise and Fall of America’s Man-Made Landscape. 15. Shoup, Donald. 2011. The High Cost of Free Parking. Chicago, IL: American Planning Association. 4 Named by Planetizen as one of the Top 20 urban planning books of all time.

Paper For Above instruction

Title: Critical Book Review of Jane Jacobs’ "The Death and Life of Great American Cities"

Jane Jacobs’ “The Death and Life of Great American Cities” remains one of the most influential and debated texts in the field of urban planning. First published in 1961, the book challenges traditional planning practices and advocates for a more community-centered approach to urban development. The core argument of the book emphasizes the importance of vibrant neighborhoods, mixed-use development, walkability, and the organic evolution of city life, contrasting with the top-down planning methods prevalent in mid-20th-century America. Jacobs aims to demonstrate that successful urban spaces thrive through diversity, density, and the engagement of local communities, all of which are often overlooked in conventional planning paradigms.

The book thoroughly critiques the modernist movement’s emphasis on zoning, large-scale redevelopment, and car-centric urban design. Jacobs contends that such approaches inadvertently destroy the very fabric of livable cities by displacing communities, destroying local businesses, and reducing the complexity that makes cities thrive. Her detailed observation of New York City neighborhoods, such as Greenwich Village and Brooklyn, offers compelling evidence of her thesis—that organic, incremental change fueled by citizen participation is essential for ensuring lively and sustainable urban environments.

One of the book’s significant strengths lies in its accessible narrative style combined with a rigorous critique of modern planning policies. Jacobs effectively uses case studies, personal observations, and empirical evidence to support her arguments. Her emphasis on the importance of ‘eyes on the street’ highlights how informal surveillance and community engagement are crucial for safety and vitality, promoting the idea that residents are the best stewards of their neighborhoods. This focus on grassroots involvement and organic growth marked a revolutionary shift away from top-down planning models.

However, the book also has limitations. Its focus on neighborhood-level dynamics sometimes underestimates the complexities of large-scale urban issues such as transportation infrastructure, economic disparities, and social equity. The largely illustrative case studies, while compelling, may not fully capture the scale of planning challenges faced by sprawling metropolises or cities with different cultural contexts. Furthermore, some critics argue that Jacobs’ advocates for organic growth do not sufficiently address the need for strategic intervention in cases of urban decline or systemic inequality.

Despite these shortcomings, “The Death and Life of Great American Cities” profoundly impacted urban planning by championing community participation and diversity. It shifts the paradigm from planning as a top-down bureaucratic process to a more inclusive, participatory practice rooted in local knowledge and everyday urban life. Personally, this book has reinforced my appreciation for the organic evolution of cities and the pivotal role of residents in shaping their environments. I found Jacobs’ ideas inspiring and relevant, especially in discussions about sustainable and equitable urban development.

The book is highly relevant to urban planning students and professionals because it provides foundational principles that challenge conventional wisdom and promote innovative, community-driven approaches. Its themes of diversity, small-scale intervention, and pedestrian-friendly environments are echoed in current debates about sustainable urbanism, walkability, and place-making. Jacobs’ critique of car-centric urban design aligns with contemporary efforts to prioritize pedestrians and cyclists, reducing dependency on automobiles for environmental and social reasons.

In conclusion, Jane Jacobs’ “The Death and Life of Great American Cities” remains a cornerstone of urban planning literature. Its insights remain relevant today as cities grapple with issues of sustainability, social equity, and community resilience. The book challenges aspiring planners to think critically about the impact of planning decisions and underscores the importance of community involvement. Overall, I highly recommend this book to students, practitioners, and anyone interested in creating more livable, vibrant cities through grassroots engagement and thoughtful design.

References

• Jacobs, Jane. (1961). The Death and Life of Great American Cities. Random House.
• Calthorpe, Peter. (2013). Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change. Island Press.
• Florida, Richard. (2014). The Rise of the Creative Class - Revisited. Basic Books.
• Shoup, Donald. (2011). The High Cost of Free Parking. American Planning Association.
• Gans, Herbert J. (1982). The Urban Villagers. The Free Press.
• Hayden, Dolores. (2003). Building Suburbia: Green Fields and Urban Growth. Pantheon.
• Kuntzler, James Howard. (1995). The Geography and Nowhere. New York: Basic Books.
• Sugrue, Thomas J. (2005). The Origins of the Urban Crisis. Princeton University Press.
• Jackson, Kenneth. (1987). Crabgrass Frontier. Oxford University Press.
• Rybczynski, Witold. (2010). Makeshift Metropolis. Scribner.