Borderland: Origins of the American Suburb, 1820-1939

This fascinating prehistory of the American Suburb traces its evolution from the mid-1800’s to the onset of World War II. Using a rich array of contemporary written and pictorial sources, prize-winning historian John R. Stilgoe guides us through the early suburbs of Manhattan, Boston, Chicago, and other cities, showing us not only how they looked but what life was like for the men and women who lived there.

In chronicling this great exodus and its impact-on culture, women architecture, and myriad other aspects of American society-Stilgoe displays with, 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
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, Christians Science Monitor
A provocative look at American culture Borderland makes serious social history accessible and engaging. -Caryn James, New York Times
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 John R. Stilgoe is the Robert & Lois Orchard Professor in the History of Landscape at Harvard University. He is also the author of Common Landscape of American, 1580 to 1845 and Metropolitan Corridor. Railroads and the American Scene.