Synopses & Reviews
Thirty-five contemporary thinkers offer insight into the workings of vibrant, ecological, equitable communities and their economies.
Advance Praise for What We See
"It's as if Jane Jacobs' bright eye hadn't dimmed... In the hands of this book's essay writers, new thoughts sprout, all as true to Jane's spirit and inventive urbanity as the gardens (intellectual and physical) she cultivated in her lifetime."
--Neal Peirce, journalist and Chair, The Citistates Group; author, Boundary Crossers
"In this book are the testimonials of 'Jane's children'... building on what she began back in the '60s. It's taken a long time, but it's happening."
--David Byrne, musician, artist and author, Bicycle Diaries
"A delicious international and interdisciplinary banquet of offerings to honor the passionate and multifaceted work of our beloved urbanist, Jane Jacobs."
--Wendy Sarkissian, author, Kitchen Table Sustainability and Creative Community Planning
"How can one resist cheering on this urban original?... We see how Jane Jacobs and our neighborhoods live on through her ideas."
--Victor S. Navasky, Publisher Emeritus, The Nation, and author, A Matter of Opinion
"The reflections on this remarkable woman, and the still-unfolding project of city-building today, are a joy to read."
--Anthony Flint, author, Wrestling with Moses
"The essayists in What We See have built on those essential footholds that people who have never heard of Jane Jacobs will benefit them for decades."
--Majora Carter, founder, Sustainable South Bronx, and winner, Rachel Carson Award
"A moving and enlightening tribute to the ideas and methods of Jane Jacobs... that will inspire others to observe closely, contemplate broadly, and engage civically."
--Glenna Lang, co-author, Genius of Common Sense
"There is no better starting place for re-evaluating tomorrow's complex cities than this book, which is full of the wisdom and insight Jane Jacobs so astutely taught us... Hallelujah! Hallelujah!"
--Fred Kent, President, Project for Public Spaces
Review
Advance Praise for What We See: Advancing the Observations of Jane Jacobs:
In this new book are the testimonials of Janes children. These folks, in their writing and work, are building on what she began back in the 60s. Its taken a long time, but its happening.”
David Byrne, musician, artist, and author of Bicycle Diaries
Its as if Jane Jacobs bright eye hadnt dimmed, that shes still startling us with her predictably unpredictable insights into what needs to be done to protect and cultivate wondrous, live cities. In the hands of this books essay writers, new thoughts sprout, all as true to Janes spirit and inventive urbanity as the gardens (intellectual and physical) she cultivated in her lifetime.”
Neal Peirce, Chairman, The Citistates Group, journalist, and author of Boundary Crossers: Community Leadership for a Global Age
This book is a passionate celebration: a delicious international and interdisciplinary banquet of offerings to honor the passionate and multifaceted work of our beloved urbanist, Jane Jacobs.”
Wendy Sarkissian, PhD, author of Kitchen Table Sustainability and Creative Community Planning
How can one resist cheering on this urban original? As one reads these essays by the thoughtful and dedicated people Jane Jacobs inspired through her writing, her organizing, her telephone calling, her patternspotting, her sidewalk ballets, we see how she and our neighborhoods live on through her ideas.”
Victor S. Navasky, Publisher Emeritus, The Nation, and author, A Matter of Opinion
Jane Jacobs work wouldnt have been complete if it hadnt inspired others to carry it on, and evolve Janes groundbreaking accomplishments so that the essential kernel of thought remains relevant for future generations. The essayists in What We See have built on those essential footholds that people who have never heard of Jane Jacobs will benefit from for decades.”
Majora Carter, founder, Sustainable South Bronx; winner, Rachel Carson Award and Paul Wellstone Award
Exuberant, stimulating collection of essays on a person who would be a saint or even an angel sent to us to uncover what really helps us to be alive in our communities. There is no better place to start than this book to see the wisdom Jane Jacobs so astutely covered almost 50 years ago. We are at the precipice of a new era and Jane Jacobs and her aficionados can show us what it could look like. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!”
Fred Kent, President, Project for Public Spaces
What We See is a moving and enlightening tribute to the ideas and methods of Jane Jacobs from a diverse set of authors, many of whom knew and revered Jane. Together the essays offer a portrait of this revolutionary thinker that will inspire others to observe closely, contemplate broadly, and engage civically.”
Glenna Lang, co-author of Genius of Common Sense
The Jane Jacobs legacy lives on, in this extraordinary collection of essays. The reflections on this remarkable woman, and the still-unfolding project of city-building today, are a joy to read.”
Anthony Flint, author of Wrestling with Moses: How Jane Jacobs Took On New Yorks Master Builder and Transformed the American City
I had never understood quite so clearly the effective power of Jane Jacobs writing
That if you take the time to look, to really observe, then you see what is happening and with the clarity of that vision you can act to save neighborhoods.”
Nancy Milford, scholar, lecturer, and author of Zelda and Savage Beauty: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay
Just in its title, What We See telegraphs the most important point Jane Jacobs ever madedont go into a city environment with preset notions of how things are supposed to work; instead, enter the space with as open a mind as you can muster and seek to observe how things actually work. What We See is a report
to tell Jane what we learned and how it has changed our cities and our lives.”
Keith Bartholomew, Assistant Professor, College of Architecture + Planning, University of Utah, and coauthor, Growing Cooler: The Evidence on Urban Development and Climate Change
Reviews for What We See
"Some people set the pace for the future of advancing thought. "What We See: Advancing the Observations of Jane Jacobs" is a collection of essays dedicated to the thoughts and ideas of Jane Jacobs who through her work set much of the foundation for modern city planning, the idea of turning a city into a more perfect place to work and live. With ideas on encouraging prosperity, working with people, the right level of complexity, and more, "What We See" is a must for anyone wants to understand the forwarding thoughts surrounding city planning."
Midwest Book Review
"What We See reaches beyond the platitudes about Jacobs' work. It features stories of her ideals played out in specific places and spaces by the people she has inspired and those who share an affinity with the spirit (and not just the letter) of her work...Jacobs has, deservedly, become the "patron saint" of progressive planning--annointed, revered, almost untouchable. Celebratory and reflective, What We See revels in Jacobs' godlike status while trying to bring a sense of realness to an intellectual celebrity...read alongside Jacobs' works, this book points towards a contextualization and deeper understanding of her legacy, in planning and fields beyond."
Anusha Venkataraman, Progressive Planning
"The stories contained within the pages of What We See allow us to not only examine how our cities and neighborhoods are developing and changing, but the actions of the authors provide the reader with the inspiration to begin to make a difference in their own neighborhood, city, region and life. I would challenge anyone to read this book and not feel the burning desire to initiate positive change within their own neighborhood, community or city."
Michael Ouchakof, enVisionGreen
Review
Advance Praise for
What We See: Advancing the Observations of Jane Jacobs:
I had never understood quite so clearly the effective power of Jane Jacobs writing
That if you take the time to look, to really observe, then you see what is happening and with the clarity of that vision you can act to save neighborhoods.”
Nancy Milford, scholar, lecturer, and author of Zelda and Savage Beauty: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay
Just in its title, What We See telegraphs the most important point Jane Jacobs ever madedont go into a city environment with preset notions of how things are supposed to work; instead, enter the space with as open a mind as you can muster and seek to observe how things actually work. What We See is a report
to tell Jane what we learned and how it has changed our cities and our lives.”
Keith Bartholomew, Assistant Professor, College of Architecture + Planning, University of Utah, and coauthor, Growing Cooler: The Evidence on Urban Development and Climate Change
Reviews for What We See
"Some people set the pace for the future of advancing thought. "What We See: Advancing the Observations of Jane Jacobs" is a collection of essays dedicated to the thoughts and ideas of Jane Jacobs who through her work set much of the foundation for modern city planning, the idea of turning a city into a more perfect place to work and live. With ideas on encouraging prosperity, working with people, the right level of complexity, and more, "What We See" is a must for anyone wants to understand the forwarding thoughts surrounding city planning."
Midwest Book Review
"What We See reaches beyond the platitudes about Jacobs' work. It features stories of her ideals played out in specific places and spaces by the people she has inspired and those who share an affinity with the spirit (and not just the letter) of her work...Jacobs has, deservedly, become the "patron saint" of progressive planning--annointed, revered, almost untouchable. Celebratory and reflective, What We See revels in Jacobs' godlike status while trying to bring a sense of realness to an intellectual celebrity...read alongside Jacobs' works, this book points towards a contextualization and deeper understanding of her legacy, in planning and fields beyond."
Anusha Venkataraman, Progressive Planning
"The stories contained within the pages of What We See allow us to not only examine how our cities and neighborhoods are developing and changing, but the actions of the authors provide the reader with the inspiration to begin to make a difference in their own neighborhood, city, region and life. I would challenge anyone to read this book and not feel the burning desire to initiate positive change within their own neighborhood, community or city."
Michael Ouchakof, enVisionGreen
Synopsis
What We See celebrates the life and work of urbanist Jane Jacobs through the essays of thirty renowned community organizers and planners, activists, journalists, scholars, economists, urban ecologists, politicians, and other public figures, who contemporize and build on her ideas about community-based planning, community building, and urban economies.
Turning an eye to their own streets and concerns, contributing authors explore the relevance of Jacobs' insights on the essential components of a vibrant community: interconnectivity, cultural and economic diversity, walkability, mixed-use design, civic participation, and environmental responsibility. Jane Jacobs turned twentieth-century city planning on its head by observing that the best-informed advisor in matters of urban planning and policy is the community itself. In the same spirit, each author has been challenged to discard tired theories about cities and look afresh.
The resulting collection of original essays presents a multi-dimensional perspective on the twenty-first century city, mapping out dead-end routes we've taken to reach our current urban woes and the best paths to community vitality.
Among them: urban designer Allan Jacobs describes in detail the modest makings of a great street in Toronto; urban critic and native New Yorker Roberta Brandes Gratz introduces urban husbandry, the organic place-making process of restoring local economies and preserving neighborhoods through citizen initiatives; and Jaime Lerner, who transformed crime-ridden barrios of Curitiba, Brazil, into world-renowned models of sustainability, writes with gusto about strategic interventions he calls urban acupuncture.
A book for anyone seeking practical, ecological guidance for bringing communities and their economies back from the edge.
Synopsis
Throughout 2016, we're celebrating the 100th year of Jane Jacobs by offering a 30% discount
A timely revisitation of renowned urbanist-activist Jane Jacobs' lifework, What We See invites thirty pundits and practitioners across fields to refresh Jacobs' economic, social and urban planning theories for the present day. Combining personal and professional observations with meditations on Jacobs' insights, essayists bring their diverse experience to bear to sketch the blueprints for the living city.
The book models itself after Jacobs' collaborative approach to city and community building, asking community members and niche specialists to share their knowledge with a broader community, to work together toward a common goal of building the 21st-century city.
The resulting collection of original essays expounds and expands Jacobs' ideas on the qualities of a vibrant, robust urban area. It offers the generalist, the activist, and the urban planner practical examples of the benefits of planning that encourages community participation, pedestrianism, diversity, environmental responsibility, and self-sufficiency.
Bob Sirman, director of the Canada Council for the Arts, describes how built form should be an embodiment of a community narrative. Daniel Kemmis, former Mayor of Missoula, shares an imagined dialog with Jacobs, discussing the delicate interconnection between cities and their surrounding rural areas. And Roberta Brandes Gratz--urban critic, author, and former head of Public Policy of the New York State Preservation League--asserts the importance of architectural preservation to environmentally sound urban planning practices.
What We See asks us all to join the conversation about next steps for shaping socially just, environmentally friendly, and economically prosperous urban communities.
Synopsis
A timely revisitation of renowned urbanist-activist Jane Jacobs' lifework, What We See invites thirty pundits and practitioners across fields to refresh Jacobs' economic, social and urban planning theories for the present day. Combining personal and professional observations with meditations on Jacobs' insights, essayists bring their diverse experience to bear to sketch the blueprints for the living city.
The book models itself after Jacobs' collaborative approach to city and community building, asking community members and niche specialists to share their knowledge with a broader community, to work together toward a common goal of building the 21st-century city.
The resulting collection of original essays expounds and expands Jacobs' ideas on the qualities of a vibrant, robust urban area. It offers the generalist, the activist, and the urban planner practical examples of the benefits of planning that encourages community participation, pedestrianism, diversity, environmental responsibility, and self-sufficiency.
Bob Sirman, director of the Canada Council for the Arts, describes how built form should be an embodiment of a community narrative. Daniel Kemmis, former Mayor of Missoula, shares an imagined dialog with Jacobs, discussing the delicate interconnection between cities and their surrounding rural areas. And Roberta Brandes Gratz--urban critic, author, and former head of Public Policy of the New York State Preservation League--asserts the importance of architectural preservation to environmentally sound urban planning practices.
What We See asks us all to join the conversation about next steps for shaping socially just, environmentally friendly, and economically prosperous urban communities.
Synopsis
Leading thinkers offer fresh insight into the workings of vibrant, ecological, equitable communities and their economies.
Synopsis
A timely revisitation of renowned urbanist-activist Jane Jacobs' lifework, What We See: Advancing the Observations of Jane Jacobs invites thirty pundits and practitioners across fields to refresh Jacobs' economic, social and urban planning theories for the present day. Combining personal and professional observations with meditations on Jacobs' insights, essayists bring their diverse experience to bear to sketch the blueprints for the living city.
The book models itself after Jacobs' collaborative approach to city and community building, asking community members and niche specialists to share their knowledge with a broader community, to work together toward a common goal of building the 21st century city.
The resulting collection of original essays expounds and expands Jacobs' ideas on the qualities of a vibrant, robust urban area. It offers the generalist, the activist, and the urban planner practical examples of the benefits of planning that encourages community participation, pedestrianism, diversity, environmental responsibility and self-sufficiency.
Bob Sirman, director of the Canada Council for the Arts, describes how built form should be an embodiment of a community narrative. Daniel Kemmis, former Mayor of Missoula, shares an imagined dialog with Jacobs,' discussing the delicate interconnection between cities and their surrounding rural areas. And Roberta Brandes Gratzurban critic, author, and former head of Public Policy of the New York State Preservation Leagueasserts the importance of architectural preservation to environmentally sound urban planning practices.
What We See asks us all to join the conversation about next steps for shaping socially just, environmentally friendly, and economically prosperous urban communities.
Synopsis
Leading thinkers observe our world with a candor that honors Jane Jacobs' honest way of looking.
More than thirty notable minds from diverse fields offer timely, original essays that update the insights of urbanist-activist Jan Jacobs. Through an enlivening discussion of critical issues affecting our cities and economies, What We See combines fresh reflection on Jacobs' views with the unique personal and professional experience of each author.
Turning an eye to their own streets and concerns, contributing essayists explore the essential components of vibrant neighborhoods: interconnectivity, culutral and economic diversity, walkability, mixed-use design, civic participation, and environmental responsibility.
What We See carries on the brilliance and truthfulness of Jane Jacobs, who set twientieth-century city planning on its head by observing that the best-informed advisor in matters of planning and policy is the community itself. Anyone seeking inspiration and common sense for bringing cities and their economies back from the edge will appreciate What We See. Its ideas prompt us all to join the conversation about next steps for shaping socially just, environmentally friendly, and economically prosperous communities.
Find news of What We See author events, guidelines for study circles and neighborhood Jane's Walks, and more: whatwesee.org
For Jane Jacobs (1916-2006)
CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS: Janine Benyus, Hillary Brown, Robert Cowan, David Crombie, Pierre Desrochers, Matias Echanove, Nan Ellin, Mindy Fullilove, Jan Gehl, Arlene Goldbard, Roberta Brandes Gratz, Kenneth Greenberg, Nabeel Hamdi, Chester Hartman, Sanford Ikeda, Allan Jacobs, Daniel Kemmis, Samuli Leppälä, Jaime Lerner, Elizabeth Macdonald, Clare Cooper Marcus, Richard Register, Mary Rowe, Janette Sadik-Khan, Saskia Sassen, Ron Shiffman, Robert Sirman, Rahul Srivastava, James Stockard, Ray Suarez, Deanne Taylor, Alexie Torres-Fleming, Susan Witt, and Peter Zlonicky
Foreword by Michael Sorkin
Edited by Stephen A. Goldsmith and Lynne Elizabeth
About the Author
Lynne Elizabeth is founder of New Village Press and past President of Architects/ Designers/ Planners for Social Responsibility (ADPSR). She is co-editor of Works of Heart: Building Village through the Arts (2006) and Alternative Construction: Contemporary Natural Building Methods (2000, 2005), and a contributing author for Ecovillage Living (2002) and Sustainable Architecture White Papers (2000). Ms. Elizabeth previously produced periodicals on sustainable community development, New Village Journal and Earthword Journal. She founded the former Eos Institute for the Study of Sustainable Living and has served since 1998 as committee member and former juror for the Berkeley Prize for Architectural Design Excellence.
Stephen Goldsmith has worked as an artist, educator, and activist for affordable housing and community development. He was the founder and Director of Artspace in Salt Lake City and led the development of live/work, mixed-use space through the adaptive reuse of historic buildings. He was a Loeb Fellow at the Harvard Design School, and served as planning director in Salt Lake City before becoming Director of the Enterprise Rose Architectural Fellowship. He is Director of the Center for the Living City and Associate Professor at the College of Architecture and Planning at the University of Utah.
ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTORS INCLUDE: Janine Benyus, Hillary Brown, Robert Cowan, David Crombie, Pierre Desrochers, Samuli Leppälä, Matias Sendoa Echanove, Nan Ellin, Mindy Thompson Fullilove, Jan Gehl, Arlene Goldbard, Roberta Brandes Gratz, Ken Greenberg, Nabeel Hamdi, Chester Hartman, Sanford (Sandy) Ikeda, Allan Jacobs, Daniel Kemmis, Jaime Lerner, Elizabeth Macdonald, Clare Cooper Marcus, Richard Register, Mary Rowe, Janette Sadik-Khan, Saskia Sassen, Ron Shiffman, Robert Sirman, Rahul Srivastava, James Stockard, Ray Suarez, Deanne Taylor, Alexie M. Torres-Fleming, Susan Witt, and Peter Zlonicky.