Customer Reviews

Birmingham Then and Now (Then & Now Thunder Bay)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I recently got this book as a present. I grew up in Birmingham and I really enjoyed looking at the city's past and comparing it to the present. However, it shows how much beauty has been lost. The demolition of the Old Jefferson County Courthouse and the Birmingham Railway Terminal are terrible losses to the city's original character.

In general it is a great book and a lot of fun for those who are interested in the city. However, it could be improved some. I wish there were more photos of key places. The interior of the Alabama Theatre or the Railway Terminal is not shown and those would be a great addition. In fact, there needs to be more shots of the Terminal in general. The old picture showing the "Magic City" sign is a classic, but does not give the best representation of the full beauty of the terminal.

These issues aside, it's a good book and I recommend it to other readers.

One error, though, is found in the text on the page on the Rainbow Viaduct. It states that the viaduct is named for the Rainbow Division that fought in World War II. The correction is that the division fought in World War I and the viaduct was named after completion of construction just after the end of that war.

Great Book, brings back a lot of memories .. Takes you on a trip in the past. Great the way it compares then to now .... Love this book.

I grew up in Birmingham (many years ago) and this is an excellent and accurate book. It gives my children and grandchildren a look at what Birmingham was long ago. Another plus is the author is a friend of my son.