The City in History
Its Origins, Its Transformations, and Its Prospects
HarperCollins · Print & ebook · October 23, 1968
WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD.
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- Who it’s for
- Trace how urban form changes alongside the forces shaping human civilization.
- Themes
- Urban history, Changing forms of cities, Capitalism and modern cities
- Genres
- Urban & Land Use Planning, Urban Life, Cities & Urban Planning
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Start with this bookAbout this book
WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD. A definitive classic, Lewis Mumford's massive historical study brings together a wide array of evidence — from the earliest group habitats to medieval towns to the modern centers of commerce — to show how the urban form has changed throughout human civilization. Mumford explores the factors that made Greek cities uniques and offers a controversial view of the Roman city concept.
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He explains how the role of monasticism influenced Christian towns and how mercanitile capitalism shapes the modern city today. The City in History remains a powerfully influential work, one that has shaped the agendas of urban planners, sociologists, and social critics since its publication in the 1960s.
Cities in Motion
Trace how urban form changes alongside the forces shaping human civilization.
Come here for
- A long view, from early group habitats to modern commercial centers
- Ideas about Greek, Roman, Christian, and modern cities
Expect
- A layered historical study with a rigorous, wide-ranging scope
- Controversial arguments about how cities take shape
Where it sits
| Urban Life | 43% |
|---|---|
| Urban & Land Use Planning | 36% |
| Cities & Urban Planning | 24% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- History of Architecture
- History Resources
- World History
- Modern History
Show all 8 publisher categories
- Civilizations
- Historical Geography
- Social History
- History of Science
- Authors
- Lewis Mumford
- Publisher
- HarperCollins
- Published
- October 23, 1968
- Format
- Print & ebook
- Theme
- Urban history · Changing forms of cities · Capitalism and modern cities
- Reading lane
- History of Architecture