Publisher's Weekly Review
Frederick Law Olmsted (1843-1903) is still, perhaps, the nation's preeminent landscape architect. He was responsible for the design of New York's Central Park, Brooklyn's Prospect Park, the grounds of the United States Capitol, the Washington Monument and Stanford University, as well as numerous other open spaces across the country. In 1893, a contemporary described Olmsted as an artist who ``paints with lakes and wooded slopes, with lawns and banks and forest-covered hills, with mountainsides and ocean views.'' Hall (Common Threads: A Parade of American Clothing) demonstrates how Olmsted's liberal and egalitarian predispositions informed his projects. Central Park, she writes, ``was to be a democratic institution, a place where people of all classes and interests could meet, share experiences, and appreciate one another.'' Hall paints a complete picture of this American icon and deftly provides the full social context in which Olmsted worked. Written for a general audience, Olmsted's America successfully animates both the architect and his work. Illustrations not seen by PW. (June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Booklist Review
Best known for his grand parks, particularly New York City's Central Park, Brooklyn's Prospect Park, and the grounds of the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument, Frank Law Olmsted wore an assortment of hats but always exhibited the same determination whether he was running guns into Kansas or sticking to them while designing Stanford University. Hall, as astute here as she was in her book about the de Koonings, Elaine and Bill: Portrait of a Marriage (1993), chronicles Olmsted's checkered career with narrative flair, fluid interpretation, and a superb set of illustrations. Olmsted was not only "unpractical," but "politically unconnected" as well, yet he crossed paths with many of his era's most famous movers and shakers and managed to excel as an administrator, surveyor, merchant, scientific farmer, conservationist, writer, publisher, landscape architect, and Calvinist crusader for "democracy." Hall illuminates the many contradictions in Olmsted's character while paying tribute to his high-impact achievements and still-vital legacy. --William Huchting
Library Journal Review
Best known as the designer of New York's Central Park, Frederick Law Olmsted is considered to have defined the term landscape architecture. Current ideas of ecology and environment, of planned land use and its social impact, are all to be found in his extensive writing and expansive vision. A member of the privileged class, with all the values and prejudices implicit, he nevertheless sought to shape nature to the needs of the people. A restless as well as innovative spirit, Olmsted had many careers, including writing on behalf of abolitionists, before creating the job where he could mix all his passions. This well-written, well-documented overview for the general population will undoubtedly have a special appeal for those who are fortunate enough to live in an area touched by Olmsted. For public libraries. [For a comprehensive history of Central Park, see Roy Rosenzweig and Elizabeth Blackmar's The Park and the People, LJ 9/1/92.Ed.]Paula Frosch, Metropolitan Museum of Art Lib., New York (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
