A Sense of Place, a Sense of Time [Paperback]

John Brinckerhoff Jackson (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0300063970 | ISBN-13: 978-0300063974 | Publication Date: February 21, 1996

J. B. Jackson, a pioneer in the field of landscape studies, here takes us on a tour of American landscapes past and present, showing how our surroundings reflect important changes in our culture. Because we live in urban and industrial environments that are constantly evolving, says Jackson, time and movement are increasingly important to us, place and permanence less so. We no longer gain a feeling of community from where we live or assemble but from common work hours, habits, and customs. Jackson examines the new vernacular landscape of trailers, parking lots, trucks, loading docks, and suburban garages, which all reflect this emphasis of motility and transience; he redefines roads as scenes of work and leisure and social intercourse - as places rather than as means of getting to places; he argues that pubic parks are now primarily for children, older people, and nature lovers, while more mobile or gregarious people seek recreation in shopping malls, in the street, and in sports arenas; he discusses the form and function of dwellings in New Mexico, from prehistoric Pueblo villages to mobile homes; and he criticizes the tendency of some environmentalists to venerate nature instead of interacting with it and learning to share it with others. Written with Jackson's customary lucidity and elegance, this book reveals his passion for vernacular culture, his insights into a style of life that blurs the boundaries between work and leisure, between middle and working classes, and between public and private spaces.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Yale University Press (February 21, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0300063970
• ISBN-13: 978-0300063974
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #419,998 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars J.B. Jackson's Sense of Place, Time and Profundity, December 27, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: A Sense of Place, a Sense of Time (Paperback)

J.B. Jackson's reflections drawn from his many years' work in landscape architecture make a wonderful read for any interested in the burgeoning category of 'place' studies. Free of postmodernese yet relevant to contemporary sensibilities, his book 'A Sense of Place, A Sense of Time' is an informative, warm and welcome survey of issues he's encountered in a life in the profession.

0 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars quick, September 24, 2007

By 

Joao Braz - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Sense of Place, a Sense of Time (Paperback)

the book arrived quiclky and I'm happy with it nevertheless it as some underlined sentences (used books are usually like this) but it's quite ok.