Overview

The Human Tradition in Urban America offers an intimate telling of America's evolution into an urban nation through the experiences of individuals. This book considers the growth of American cities by carefully looking at the lives of those people-some famous, some not so well known-who contributed to this important transition in the country's history. Roger Biles has assembled a superb collection of writings that provide a diverse collage of colorful and engaging characters. Covering the eighteenth through twentieth centuries, these diverse biographies show that the formation of America's new structure and environment was not simply the product of some mysterious blend of impersonal forces, but instead was the handiwork of a rich variety of human actors. The Human Tradition in Urban America is an accessible book that will appeal to all readers interested in the history of urban America. About the Author Roger Biles is professor of history at East Carolina University. He is the author and editor of several books on urban history, including From Tenements to the Taylor Homes: In Search of an Urban Housing Policy in Twentieth-Century America and Richard J. Daley: Politics, Race, and the Governing of Chicago. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Urban History Association and currently serves as the book review editor for H-Urban.

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9780842029933

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Reviews

A nice introduction to the problems and concerns facing different groups of urban Americans at different points in time. -- Amy S. Greenberg, Penn State University A dynamic and captivating volume. The diverse and important individuals who populate the chapters of The Human Tradition in Urban America will make urban history courses come alive. Skillfully edited by Roger Biles, this innovative book will prove itself enticing. -- Michael H. Ebner, Lake Forest College A splendid addition to the Human Tradition series that utilizes biography to reflect urban history and urban change. -- Melvin G. Holli, professor of history at the University of Illinois at Chicago, author of The American Mayor Cities are more than buildings and infrastructures; they are also people. This delightful and informative collection of brief biographical sketches illuminates the variety of the urban experience. Professor Biles presents the stories of innovators-some familiar, but many newly introduced to most readers-who used the urban experience as a catalyst for new ideas. We are all richer for who they were and what they did. -- Perry Duis, University of Ilinois at Chicago An intellectually compelling collection of biographies of urbanites... These essays are accessible to undergraduates, yet grapple with hotly debated issues. CHOICE

A nice introduction to the problems and concerns facing different groups of urban Americans at different points in time. -- Amy S. Greenberg, Penn State University A dynamic and captivating volume. The diverse and important individuals who populate the chapters of The Human Tradition in Urban America will make urban history courses come alive. Skillfully edited by Roger Biles, this innovative book will prove itself enticing. -- Michael H. Ebner, Lake Forest College A splendid addition to the Human Tradition series that utilizes biography to reflect urban history and urban change. -- Melvin G. Holli, professor of history at the University of Illinois at Chicago, author of The American Mayor Cities are more than buildings and infrastructures; they are also people. This delightful and informative collection of brief biographical sketches illuminates the variety of the urban experience. Professor Biles presents the stories of innovators—some familiar, but many newly introduced to most readers—who used the urban experience as a catalyst for new ideas. We are all richer for who they were and what they did. -- Perry Duis, University of Ilinois at Chicago An intellectually compelling collection of biographies of urbanites. . . . These essays are accessible to undergraduates, yet grapple with hotly debated issues. * CHOICE *

Cities are more than buildings and infrastructures; they are also people. This delightful and informative collection of brief biographical sketches illuminates the variety of the urban experience. Professor Biles presents the stories of innovators some familiar, but many newly introduced to most readers who used the urban experience as a catalyst for new ideas. We are all richer for who they were and what they did.--Perry Duis

Author Information

Roger Biles is professor of history at East Carolina University.

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