Havana: Two Faces of the Antillean Metropolis (World Cities Series) [Hardcover]

Roberto Segre (Author), Mario Coyula (Author), Joseph L. Scarpaci (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1997 | ISBN-10: 0471949795 | ISBN-13: 978-0471949794 | Edition: 1

This book explores the urbanization of this great city over its five hundred year history. It analyzes Havana's urban development and cultural importance and addresses the environmental problems that this highly populated city must overcome in order to thrive in the next millennium.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book is an extraordinary document, not least because its subject is a truly great city, perhaps the most interesting in the New World. (Andres Duany, from the Foreword) "

"An exciting portrait of one of Latin America's most important cities, Havana takes us beyond the usual coffee-table-book photos of crumbling eighteenth-century archways, emphasizing instead the private experience of Havana's denizens. (Lingua Franca)"

"Perhaps no three scholars are better qualified to describe and explain the reality of Havana to social scientists interested in urbanity than the authors of this extraordinary book. Such fruitful collaboration between Cuban and American scholars is rare, and in this case the results are rich. (Review of Radical Political Economics)"

"A seminal work that belongs on any Cubanologist's bookshelf, and an essential text for anyone reading to prepare for a trip to the island. It is also an important work for scholars with only a passing interest in the specifics of Havana's built environment, but who also focus on urban history, architectural forms, state socialism, or Cuba's post-Soviet transition. (Environment and Planning A)"

The best available reference on the urban development and planning of Havana since its foundation in 1519. What emerges is a complex portrait of Havana's polycentric structure and the processes that have defined it. (Journal of Architectural Education) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Publisher

The book brings to both the academic and general readership an informative yet inviting and accessible volume about one of the world's truly great cities: Havana. Adorned with panoramic promenades along tropical water and hundreds of Spanish colonial structures, the city of Havana has perhaps one of the most widely recongised city-scapes in the world. However, Havana has been clearly tied to swings in the world economy that are visually evident in every corner of the city. This book will sketch the urbanisation of this great world class city over its five hundred year history.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 418 pages
• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons; 1 edition (August 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471949795
• ISBN-13: 978-0471949794
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,980,143 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #61 in Books > Travel > Caribbean > Cuba > Havana

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the seminal book on the history of Havana., December 14, 1998

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[e-mail] (Luxembourg) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Havana: Two Faces of the Antillean Metropolis (World Cities Series) (Hardcover)

This book is a rich resource on a wide range of issues associated with the nearly 500 years of growth and transformation of Havana. It is a seminal work that belongs on any Cubanologist's bookshelf, and an essential text for anyone reading to prepare for a trip to the island. It is also an important work for those with only a passing interest in the specifics of Havana's built environment, but who are interested in urban history, architectural forms, state socialism, or Cuba's post-Soviet transition.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A must-read about historical and contemporary Cuba, December 5, 2003

By 

"[e-mail]" (VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Havana: Two Faces of the Antillean Metropolis (Paperback)

Joseph Scarpaci is a well-known expert on Cuba, especially in affairs dealing with urban planning and related subjects. Having studied with Dr. Scarpaci on a short academic trip to Cuba, I can personally testify to his expansive knowledge base. This book, a compilation of information dealing with the history and development of Havana, is a must-have for anyone interested in learning more about Havana, and Cuba overall. Though much of the book focuses on the history of the capital, those who are interested in learning about contemporary Cuba will find a wealth of information on why Cuba has developed the way it has. The only reason I gave this four stars instead of five, is that the reader must be made aware that this is a scholarly work, so those accustomed to reading only fiction for pleasure may find the style a bit difficult. However, this is an outstanding piece of work that should be in the house of any person truly interested in discovering more about Cuba.