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The Geography of Nowhere: The Rise and Decline of America's Man-Made Landscape

by
James Howard Kunstler (Author)
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James Howard Kunstler (Author)
4.3 out of 5 stars 150 customer reviews
ISBN-13: 978-0671888251
ISBN-10: 0671888250
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Product Details

  • Paperback: 304 pages
  • Publisher: Free Press (July 26, 1994)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0671888250
  • ISBN-13: 978-0671888251
  • Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.8 x 8.4 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (150 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #44,512 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsrevolutionary
By Shannon B. VINE VOICE on March 4, 2002
Format: Paperback
Geography of Nowhere is a wonderful, life-changing book. I wish I could make every developer, every SUV owner and every town council read this book. Its main topic is the physical environments that Americans live in, in contrast to our historical environments and to overseas. Kunstler shows how the advent of the automobile has changed the face of cities, small-towns and birthed the suburb. The choice to live without an automobile is now a very difficult one for most people, and also comes with certain social assumptions. Yet, after reading Geography of Nowhere, I am seeking ever more ways to take public transportation and reduce my reliance on a vehicle that both pollutes the natural environment and despoils the man-made environment.
Some chapters in the book focus on cities gone wrong, such as Detroit. Others discuss the ideal community, involving mixed-use neighborhoods (both purpose - commercial, residential, industrial - and class - working, professional, wealthy). Kunstler makes the case that prior to the development of suburbia and the reign of automobiles as our primary form of transportation, we had a kinder, cleaner, and happier world. Disney World's Main Street was used as an example of how car-free neighborhoods have become an American dream, and at the same time, few people understand why cars have had such a negative effect.
Geography of Nowhere has confirmed my choice to live in a city with public transportation, in a mixed-use neighborhood, within walking distance of most of my needs. It may be more expensive and it may be unconventional, but I now have the evidence to back up my convictions.
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3.0 out of 5 starsA Refreshing Book
By rex tugwell on February 10, 2000
Format: Paperback
No, this book isn't the most scholarly approach to urban planning. But is a much needed book. One of the problems with the myriad of books that have emerged lately on the topic of modern urban design is that they are written in academic speak, not readily understandable by the layman or laywoman who is attempting to make a difference while serving on town boards. Although no one has mentioned it in these reviews, it was gutsy of the author to propose that a building could be objectively ugly. This is important to those of us who are sick and tired of trying to tell developers that we don't want another McDonalds because the golden arches don't relate to the spacial relationships of our sidewalks. Damn it, we have the right to reject it because its plug ugly. His comments on Disney were wicked, accurate, and entirely true. Read this book.
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5.0 out of 5 starsThe Land of Denny's
By N. P. Stathoulopoulos on January 21, 2005
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
Kunstler is not too happy with how we've built our cities, our suburbs, and our society. And I can't blame him.

This is an important consideration of how the landscapes of America have changed, and not for the best. The decline of American cities, the rise of the never-ending suburban sprawls, the addiction to cars and to oil and highways, all contribute to the decay of social fabric.

It all sounds deep, but Kunstler is clearly onto something. Himself transplanted to the suburbs of Long Island, Kuntsler is angry at what he sees as an America that is less and less concerned with maintaining any lasting community, anywhere.

All you have to do in this country is go to a few different cities and look around. First off, you can hardly distinguish most big cities from each other in the US--you have a downtown (in some cases among the worst part of a particular city, and often deserted and bland) and you have the endless suburban sprawl. What you find is isolation, isolation, isolation. Pick a big city, and you see the problems still being faced decades after population shifts, demographic changes, cultural changes etc: Detroit, Atlanta, St Louis, Miami, etc, etc.

Architecture is in the dumps, as short-term profit is the motivating factor behind flat, faceless and featureless buildings. Suburbia has long been the answer for many: miles of designed streets with identical houses, cut off from undesirables by miles of highway, encouraging an inefficient life where everything is separated, the car has replaced the PERSON as the unit we build for, to say nothing of the cultural wasteland half of America becomes with the influx of 100 fast food chains, a Walmart, a mall, an 'entertainment complex', etc, destroying anything that once gave a place character.Read more ›
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4.0 out of 5 starshighway to hell
By Dr. Eigenvalue on February 1, 2006
Format: Paperback
Last night in his State of the Union speech, G. W. Bush pointed out the obvious fact that America depends far too heavily on oil to support its lifestyle. Whoever programmed him to say that must have been reacting to the mounting unrest over the crises associated with big oil: war, pollution, corruption, and extreme flabbiness.

Most of the problems associated with oil are problems associated with cars, and cars are the focus of J. H. Kunstler's book. Published in the early 90s, The Geography of Nowhere describes the impact of automobiles on the development of the U.S. Apparently, things started to go south during the Depression, when people were driven out of cities by poverty and the diminishing quality of life in the tenements. Fueling the flight to the suburbs were New Deal programs to build roads and cheap houses. In the ensuing decades the American landscape was built to serve cars rather than people, and that is what Kunstler is angry about. His main criticisms are:

1) A lot of the architecture, both residential and commerical, is very ugly. Buildings are constructed quickly and cheaply, and without regard to their surroundings. After all, what's the point of worrying about your surroundings if people are just going to drive directly to their destination? On this point, Kunstler is angry and sarcastic, though often funny. However, his tone is unfortunate, because ugliness is ultimately a matter of opinion, and I would bet that most people would say they are quite happy living in their suburban boxes. Kunstler argues that people are happy this way because they don't know any better, and he's probably right, but as far as I know there is no good way to force people to appreciate beauty.Read more ›
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 starsSuch and important read, but could be more current.

This book really addresses some interesting topics. And should be read by all urban planers and architects. Read more

Published 19 days ago by Virginia M
5.0 out of 5 starsAll you need to know ...

Great book. Every American should read this book.

Published 1 month ago by Raymond D. Hammond
4.0 out of 5 starsInsightful and hilarious

I found this book to be very insightful and hilarious at times. My only complaint is that it needs to be updated to discuss the revival that many of America's cities have... Read more

Published 1 month ago by Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 starsOur Love Of Cars Has Ruined Our Cities

This book speaks to ideas I have had for 50 years. I started my career as a Mechanical Engineer at General Motors in Detroit in 1965. Read more

Published 1 month ago by Gene W. Brown
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

excellent, and still timely.

Published 2 months ago by Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 starsAbsolutely must be read

One of the most informative and thought provoking books I have ever read.

Published 3 months ago by Jdog
2.0 out of 5 starsIsn't this the United Nation's Agenda 21 plan? "Live, Work, Play"...

Wow - this is straight out of the United Nation's Agenda 21. For anyone who wants to own land, grow a garden, have a little privacy - you have to be in suburbia. Read more

Published 4 months ago by Shop Shop Shop
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

fantastic book, thoroughly enjoyed both the topics covered and the style with which they were covered

Published 4 months ago by Keaton
4.0 out of 5 starsSocial criticism that is just as valid as when he wrote it

This very interesting book looks at city planning and architecture, and how they have both failed to produce cities that people actually want to live in, and that are sustainable... Read more

Published 5 months ago by Laurie A. Brown
5.0 out of 5 starsA Great Human Geography Book

A great Human Geography book. Anyone who is interested in Human Geography or Demographics would enjoy the book.

Published 7 months ago by Philippe

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