Washington Through Two Centuries: A History in Maps and Images

Rating:
Summary: The maps are nice, but . . .
Review: Anyone who is familiar with the subject of Washington, DC's history, will recognize that Mr. Passonneau liberally helped himself to the text of Washington at Home (1988), edited by Kathryn S. Smith, as well as the images and layout of Capitol Losses by James Goode. It is very sad, because the maps are interesting, but to plagiarize earlier works harms everyone, especially the contributors to Washington at Home, which is currently being revised and updated for a new edition.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Book for Architects and Planners
Review: Joe Passonneau has combined history, planning and architecture in our nation's capitol that has a certain relevance to every serious, large city in the country. What you really learn here is how architecture and planning can work together in a creative relaltionshiip and both better for the experience. If the elected officials were crafting laws with the same care, concern and perhaps even love, that architects, planners and a host of other insightful non-professionals were using to build Washington, DC, we would all be better off today.

The maps alone are glorious and probably worth the price of the book itself. Study them and you will start to understand and appreciate the historic process by which cities either reinvent themselves or fail to do so. Architects, planners and history buffs should own this book. Period.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Book for Architects and Planners
Review: Joe Passonneau has combined history, planning and architecture in our nation's capitol that has a certain relevance to every serious, large city in the country. What you really learn here is how architecture and planning can work together in a creative relaltionshiip and both better for the experience. If the elected officials were crafting laws with the same care, concern and perhaps even love, that architects, planners and a host of other insightful non-professionals were using to build Washington, DC, we would all be better off today.

The maps alone are glorious and probably worth the price of the book itself. Study them and you will start to understand and appreciate the historic process by which cities either reinvent themselves or fail to do so. Architects, planners and history buffs should own this book. Period.