[.uk] Crabgrass Frontier: The Suburbanization of the United States

A classical look at the suburbs of the United States:
Jackson writes one of the seminal studies in urban history relating to the suburbs. The end conclusion is that suburbs have not been beneficial to the United States. This tracks things from the start of suburbanization to the downfall of downtowns. Race relations are a big part of the book as is the heralding of the automobile. Jackson writes very well and the book is wonderfully organized. If you are starting out in urban history this is an essential book to start off with. For those interested in post world war 2 American life this is also a must read.

great book:
Even though the book was written a while ago, it's still really good. I think the chapter on credit and housing was fascinating.

came quickly:
Needed book for a college course, and the campus bookstore did not have it. It came within 10 days of order, standard shipping. could not ask for more.

Important:
After "Streetcar Suburbs", which was published in the 1980s, this is the first major study on American suburbanization since. A well-founded, well-structured and well-written book.

A great glimpse into the history of the suburb:
While often overloaded with details, anecdotes, and apocrypha, Crabgrass Frontier is a passionate, informative investigation into the history of the suburb, both in America and elsewhere. The author clearly researched his stuff thoroughly, though one might wish for a bit LESS detail sometimes (his "evidentiary anecdotes" often get in the way of the narrative flow). The sheer volume of detail and data make this a great book for the historian or history student (in college). The passion of the author, and the light writing style, makes this a great book for the historical dabbler as well. A good read, if at times a bit weighty.