Borderland: Origins of the American Suburb, 1820-1939

A fascinating prehistory of the American suburb, from its beginnings in the mid-1800s to the onset of World War II. Using a rich array of contemporary written and pictorial sources, prize-winning historian John Stilgoe guides us through the early suburbs of Manhattan, Boston, Chicago, and other cities, showing us not only what they looked like but what life was like for the men and women who lived there. Highly readable and generously illustrated, the book provides new insights into the lives of the first suburbanites and teaches us to appreciate anew this important aspect of the American way of life. "Borderland offers a fresh perspective on the zone between rural space and urban residential rings, and it challenges our assumptions about what constitutes a good life."-Kenneth Jackson, Progressive Architecture "In chronicling this great exodus and its impact - on culture, women, architecture and myriad other aspects of American society - Stilgoe displays wit, scholarship, and insight, as well as delight in searching out meanings in his sources. . . . The book itself is handsome and well-illustrated, blessed with a lively text, saturated with evocative and vivid detail."-David Slovic, Philadelphia Inquirer "A provocative look at American culture. . . . Borderland makes serious social history accessible and engaging."-Caryn James, New York Times "Stilgoe's research is thorough, his approach original and engaging, and his book a delight to read, filled with illustrations-pictorial and verbal-that help illustrate the phenomenon more clearly and deeply."-Merle Rubin, Christian Science Monitor