The American Lawn (Paperback)

by Georges Teyssot (Author, Editor) "IN 1870, THE culture of grass aroused nothing but admiration in Frank J. Scott (1828-1919), disciple of America's father of landscape design, Andrew Jackson (A.J.)..." (more)
Key Phrases: fairway living, robot mower, robot lawnmower, New York, United States, House Beautiful (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
From carefully manicured golf greens to small patches nurtured in front of row houses, the lawn is a symbol of private and civic pride and personal and community enrichment. This collection of essays by historians, architects, and social theorists identifies the role that "green space" has played in the development of our collective self-image. The enclosure or privatization of the lawn in earlier days has given way to a more politically acceptable idea of shared open spaces, and purely aesthetic value has often taken second place to commercial adaptations. From the backyard barbecue to campus demonstrations and architectural elements, the lawn has provided a background to all our activities. The inclusion of court cases based on "failure to cut grass" and "violation of lawn sign ordinance" emphasizes how passion about lawns influences personal and civic behavior. Published to coincide with an exhibition organized by the Canadian Centre for Architecture, this book offers an interesting look at the encounter between idealism and technology.APaula Frosch, Metropolitan Museum of Art Lib., New York
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
"This volume helps fill a gap in the field of landscape architecture, whose comprehensive history in the United States remains to be written. But even reads with no scholarly brief will appreciate the rich texture the authors give to the concept of the lawn as a social form...With copious illustrations and archival sources, the volume details how importantly the lawn figures in innumerable aspects of American culture. ..Editor Georges Teyssot and company have produced a history of the lawn as multicated and visually inviting as their subject. -- Sara Blair, Preservation Magazine, Jan/Feb 1999

Turf wars rage in this fascinating collection of essays, which demonstrates how one person's clean-shaven field of suburban dreams is another nightmare of creeping conformity. The history and politics of lawn care (grow it or mow it) she light on broader cultural preferences; a series of 3-D photos (a special viewer is provided at the back of the book) documents neighbors' withering legal disputes. -- House & Garden

Turf wars range in this fascinating collection of essays, which demonstrates how one person's clean shaven field of suburban dreams is another's nightmare of creeping conformity. The history and politics of lawn care (grow it or mow it) shed light on broader cultural preferences; a series of 3-D photos (a special viewer is provided at the back of the book) documents neighbors' withering legal disputes. -- House & Garden

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Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press; 1st edition (January 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1568981600
• ISBN-13: 978-1568981604
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: No customer reviews yet. Be the first.
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,095,160 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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