leonmorinpriest's review
3.0
The topic of this book is what particularly interested me in initially buying this. Many of the discussions within each chapter were eye opening as well. However, my biggest problem with this book is the organization of discussion. The author focuses on so many things at once it's difficult to even see what their opinion is to establish their point. The final chapters seem redeeming in this quality and I was able to follow it well but majority of the book it seems like they are just entirely moving from one point to the next without much consideration on how it ties together or properly transitioning between topics within the book. I had to put the book down for a bit because it's genuinely hard to follow at times. It's a bit disappointing cause this book examines topics that honestly seem interesting to a reader who isn't particularly familiar with architecture and the study of cities in general. While the chapters, at the end, do provide a good summary of what the chapter intends to be about, I find the constant switching of topics in such a short period to be disorganized when trying to soak in the goal of this book.
cattytrona's review against another edition
3.0
I love reading about urbanism. Cities are so big and full and old, and you really think you can change it? You want to make a difference? No way. Trying to tame a Cthulhu vibes.
The Language of Cities is a really solid, readable discussion of the subject. It covered some really cool stuff: the stuff about skyscrapers, Las Vegas vernacular, and Disney was really interesting, and I’m always interested in Bilbao and sprucing up noughties London. Then again, urbanism is always cool. And by cool I mean to read about, not always so much in practice. Planners are dodgy.
I wish the chapters had been more sub-headed, and some of the examples had been a bit more specific and deep. Was pretty gratified to see Radical Cities by Justin McGuirk in the bibliography, something I picked up at random a couple of years ago (as opposed to this, which is vaguely research) and thought was excellent; it’s such an interesting book, and works because it goes all in on its case studies. The Language of Cities is generally much more of an overview — and is good at that, don’t get me wrong — but if you’re left, like me, wanting even more, I’d recommend Radical Cities. Personally, I’m looking forward to reading Sudjic’s The Edifice Complex, and Aldo Rossi’s The Architecture of the City off the back of this one, just for fun.
The Language of Cities is a really solid, readable discussion of the subject. It covered some really cool stuff: the stuff about skyscrapers, Las Vegas vernacular, and Disney was really interesting, and I’m always interested in Bilbao and sprucing up noughties London. Then again, urbanism is always cool. And by cool I mean to read about, not always so much in practice. Planners are dodgy.
I wish the chapters had been more sub-headed, and some of the examples had been a bit more specific and deep. Was pretty gratified to see Radical Cities by Justin McGuirk in the bibliography, something I picked up at random a couple of years ago (as opposed to this, which is vaguely research) and thought was excellent; it’s such an interesting book, and works because it goes all in on its case studies. The Language of Cities is generally much more of an overview — and is good at that, don’t get me wrong — but if you’re left, like me, wanting even more, I’d recommend Radical Cities. Personally, I’m looking forward to reading Sudjic’s The Edifice Complex, and Aldo Rossi’s The Architecture of the City off the back of this one, just for fun.
mirandaosmelak's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
4.0
Dense to read, hut full of interesting facts
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