Imagine a world devoid of automobiles, traffic lights, and interstate highways. For a nation that values freedom of movement, this seems almost unimaginable. In this work, Clay McShane explores the distinctively American relationship between automobility and urbanization, focusing on how transportation systems, particularly the private automobile, and urban concepts have redefined each other in modern America. McShane takes readers on a journey from Boston to New York to Milwaukee to Los Angeles, chronicling the urban integration of the automobile. He begins with mid-nineteenth-century municipal bans on horseless carriages, driven by public concerns over accidents and pollution. As cities redesigned roads to accommodate new transport forms like trolley cars and bicycles, these bans faded by the 1890s. The rise of the automobile saw it quickly established as a status symbol among metropolitan elites, while also appealing to many Americans seeking escape from traditional social constraints. The book features over thirty photographs that illustrate the evolution of urban transportation, covering topics such as pre-trolley travel, the push for parks and suburbanization, the car's role in popular culture, and the fight for traffic safety. McShane’s analysis of gender relations in automobility—particularly the association of driving with male power—is both relevant and innovative. This engaging work will captivate readers interest
Columbia: Storia della vita urbana Serie
Questa serie completa approfondisce la ricca storia della vita urbana in America, tracciandone l'evoluzione dai primi insediamenti all'era moderna. Esamina meticolosamente le trasformazioni sociali, economiche e culturali che hanno plasmato i centri urbani. I lettori ottengono informazioni dettagliate sulle vite sia di cittadini comuni che di figure influenti che hanno abitato questi ambienti dinamici. È una lettura essenziale per chiunque sia interessato al profondo impatto delle città sulla storia e viceversa.
