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<\/a>Jane Jacobs was a journalist who was galvanized by love of her Greenwich Village neighborhood to launch a protest movement against a highway that would have bisected Washington Square Park. In her landmark 1961 work, \u201cThe Death and Life of Great American Cities,\u201d Jacobs shared her vision of cities as places that arise organically from the chaotic needs and movement of the people who live there.<\/p>\nCity planners don\u2019t take human relationships into account, she wrote, and the result is that urban renewal and new architecture \u2014 with their emphasis on order, efficiency, and separation of uses \u2014 choke vibrant street life and isolate neighbors from each other. \u201cDeath and Life\u201d questioned the future of city planning, seeking a humanistic approach to preserve a feeling of community between residents.<\/p>\n
Jane Jacobs\u2019 nemesis was New York City planner Robert Moses, a cautionary example of excessive power focused in the hands of one appointed official. Moses was responsible for the modern expressways in and around New York City, citing efficiency in his quest to demolish low-income neighborhoods and move large volumes of vehicles. Wearing more than one hat, he also shaped the look of public parks and facilities in the boroughs at that time, favoring automobile access over public transportation.<\/p>\n
Caro, also Lyndon Johnson\u2019s tireless biographer, had several years of access to Moses\u2019 unguarded commentary on poverty and race relations before Moses realized that he wasn\u2019t going to be lionized in the fashion to which he\u2019d become accustomed.<\/p>\n Caro\u2019s result is a multifaceted look at political power, urban design, the rise of the automobile, and the effects on subsequent generations of city dwellers.<\/p>\n This small book is a fascinating guide to items seen by the side of the road \u2014 electrical pylons, traffic signals, antennas, and other necessary infrastructure for modern life.<\/p>\n Placed against the backdrop of a sunset or a forest, most technology recedes from view, but once you\u2019re aware of what it\u2019s doing, you\u2019ll easily spot it.<\/p>\n \u201cMaking Midcentury Modern\u201d by Palm Springs designer Christopher Kennedy offers 100 two-page examples of midcentury modern ideas that you can introduce into your home.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll recognize elements of Southern California design from the 1950s and 1960s in the full-color photos that accompany Kennedy\u2019s cheerful text.<\/p>\n As some of the happiest people on earth, Danes know how to chase away the shadows and create a warm feeling of connectedness with friends and family.<\/p>\n Interior design, cooking, crafts, and conversation are all components of hygge. Both of these books can be found via OverDrive, the library\u2019s e-book app.<\/p>\n Summer Reading Challenge<\/strong><\/p>\n Read 10 books or 10 hours through July and August, and receive a toy, book or library tote bag when you finish. You\u2019ll also receive a chance to win a Target gift card (all ages) or Kindle Fire (adults only) for every multiple of 10 that you complete. The more you read, the more chances you have to win. Register online at sdcl.org\/src<\/a> or visit the library for a reading log.<\/p>\n<\/a>If you have a political outlook and are looking for a title that has nothing to do with the presidency, start with \u201cThe Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York\u201d by Robert Caro.<\/p>\n<\/a>If you\u2019re taking a road trip this summer, play a modern version of \u201cI Spy\u201d with your kids by packing \u201cA Field Guide to Roadside Technology\u201d by Ed Sobey.<\/p>\n<\/a>Need a quick and visually striking beach read for your iPad or color tablet?<\/p>\n<\/a>You can also connect with the lifestyle trend of hygge (pronounced \u201choo-gah\u201d) with the e-book \u201cThe Joy of Hygge: How to Bring Everyday Pleasure and Danish Coziness Into Your Life.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n