American Urbanist

William H. Whyte had a profound influence on how we think about cities, but his contribution was so wide-ranging that it can be hard to pin down. In his engaging new biography, Rein presents Whyte as an original thinker who was always restless to 'blow the lid off' accepted wisdom, trusting his eyes and his gut instead. --Amanda Kolson Hurley, Bloomberg Businessweek Journalist and author of Radical Suburbs After years of steps forward, we've gone backward on several fronts, most of all in cities. Rein's book comes at an opportune time, because Whyte's writing needs to be reread and celebrated all over again. -- Common Edge An excellent examination of [Whyte's] work and advocacy. -- American Conservative Rein's book is truly impressive...[He] rescues Whyte's legacy by chronicling his visionary critiques of urban and suburban America. He was the Paul Revere of critics of American urbanism and suburbanism, yet his warnings were not heeded...Thanks to Richard Rein for bringing the forgotten legacy of William H. Whyte back to life. -- Beyond Chron This biography will hopefully expand Whyte's influence on cities, workplaces, and, most importantly, the people in both of them. -- A Daily Dose of Architecture Books A marvelous new biography. -- The New York Times Journalist Rein debuts with an intriguing intellectual biography of journalist and urbanist William Holly Whyte (1917-1999)... [He] foregrounds Whyte's own writing and analyses, which were remarkably prescient. The result is a welcome tribute to a visionary thinker. -- Publishers Weekly Rein's comprehensive biography of this icon of the planning and preservation movement focuses on Whyte's vision and legacy, offering an accessible and worthy source of inspiration for contemporary and future land-use challenges. -- Booklist American Urbanist will help elevate Whyte to be listed among the 20th century's planning heroes, alongside Jane Jacobs. -- Journal of Urban Affairs [American Urbanist] recaptures the life and remarkable career of this lay urban critic .... deftly weaves together the strands of Whyte's personal and public life while immersing readers in post-World War II America. -- Princeton Alumni Weekly Rein's book ... details all of Whyte's seminal contributions to the present-day city experience. But it also, if less explicitly, reveals one of the most intriguing realities of Whyte's long life and career: Starting out as a militant individualist, Whyte gradually dedicated himself to finding ways for city-dwellers to create enclaves of community in the places where they live. -- Governing This is a must read for anyone concerned with urbanism and interested in individuals who helped shape today's urban processes through a combination of natural ability, field experience, and practical methodology. -- Choice In American Urbanist, journalist Richard Rein tells the story of William H. Whyte's particular genius and why it exercises an enduring influence on American life -- Wall Street Journal Whyte's life, urban planning ideas, and significant impact on building and growing the preservation movement in America should be part of any library collection strong in not just urban development and planning, but social change and community issues. The blend of biography and insights on urban development choices and trends is outstanding. -- Donovan's Literary Services Richard K. Rein's American Urbanist is a must-read book--not just for those who care about building better cities but for anyone and everyone who cares about more-effective companies and creative organizations. Through Rein's detailed telling, 'Holly' Whyte emerges as among the most important urbanists--and even more so, as one of the most important public intellectuals of our time, shaping the discourse about economy and society, cities and management, innovation and creativity, over the course of the late twentieth and twenty-first centuries. --Richard Florida, author of Rise of the Creative Class