Planning Books

Question 1

Bowling Alone:

The Collapse and Revival of American Community

Answer 1

Robert Putnam
2000
described a major shift in American life and politics over 40 years whereas social participation declined because of modern demands on time.
provoked debate and awakened insight into how people live, expect services, and contribute to the community - and what they expect of government and politics.

Question 2

The Regional City:

Planning for the End of Sprawl

Answer 2

Peter Calthorpe, William Fulton
2000
Regionalism reemerges as a focus of planning; Demonstrated how regional planning/design can integrate, revitalize, and provide a coherent vision for growth.
Extends concepts of new urbanism to the regional scale and includes a special emphasis on transit and design.

Question 3

PLANNING THEORY FOR PRACTITIONERS

Answer 3

Michael P. Brooks
2002
understandable, usable planning theory for practitioners
Informative discussion of values and ethics

Question 4

THE RISE OF THE CREATIVE CLASS

And How It’s Transforming Work, Leisure, Community and Everyday Life

Answer 4

Richard Florida
2002
The first to put together such information in a compelling and understandable format.
Revolutionized urban planning and economic development
Reawakened decision makers in America to the value and power of strong central cities
(others developed the evaluation methods and tools)

Question 5

THE BIRTH OF CITY PLANNING IN THE UNITED STATES: 1840-1917

Answer 5

Jon A. Peterson
2003
Detailed overview of the early years of the planning movement, whereas progressive activists, public-health advocates, and business interests unite in the cause of more livable cities.

Question 6

THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY

Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America

Answer 6

Erik Larson
2004
brings alive the history of early planners (Daniel Burnham, Frederick Law Olmsted)

Question 7

THE HIGH COST OF FREE PARKING

Answer 7

Donald C. Shoup
2005
Demonstrated the direct, indirect, social, and intangible costs of easily available parking;
Set the stage for municipalities to change codes and mind-sets to create parking management systems that put cars second and instead support the creation of complete streets, safe streetscapes, and healthier downtowns.

Question 8

URBAN TRANSIT

Operations, Planning, and Economics

Answer 8

Vukan R. Vuchic
2005
theoretical concepts and practical, real world methodologies for managing and improving transit planning.

Question 9

PLANNING AND URBAN DESIGN STANDARDS

Answer 9

William R. Klein, Megan Lewis
2006
Comprehensive reference on urban planning & design; Has contributions from more than 200 renowned professionals;
provides in-depth information on the tools and techniques used to achieve planning and design outcomes, including economic analysis, mapping, visualization, legal foundations, and real estate developments.

Question 10

1990-1999

APA Essential Planning book list

Answer 10

Golden age/new concepts: sustainability and livability.
The public begins to take an active interest in planning and community visioning and new forms of participation emerge.
New concerns over the impacts of natural hazards add to the planners concern with the environment.

Question 11

MAKING EQUITY PLANNING WORK

Leadership in the Public Sector

Answer 11

Norman Krumholz, John Forester
1990
Detailed account of a real-life, effective equity-planning practice that influenced urban policy in Cleveland case studies

Question 12

EDGE CITY

Life on the New Frontier

Answer 12

Joel Garreau
1991
Chronicles rise of suburban cities over 100 years; Changed the perception of suburbia and its role relative to central cities as people & jobs moved to suburbs;

Question 13

GREAT STREETS

Answer 13

Allan B. Jacobs.
1993
Importance of streets as placemaking elements; Beautiful illustrations of prototypes.

Question 14

THE NEW URBANISM

Toward an Architecture of Community

Answer 14

Peter Katz et al.
1994
Captured the movement to reestablish a sense of neighborhood and community in face of sprawl.

Question 15

VISIONS FOR A NEW AMERICAN DREAM

Process, Principles, and an Ordinance to Plan and Design Small Communities

Answer 15

Anton Nelessen
1994
Tools for visualizing growth and change 
introduced Visual Preference Survey
Illustrations sparked interest in preserving historic character and quality of design (emerged in force as a planning concern in the 1990s)

Question 16

RURAL BY DESIGN

Maintaining Small Town Character

Answer 16

Randall Arendt
1994
Town growth with maintained character via density, site planning, and compatible design.
Reinforced growth management, addressing sprawl, and conserving natural and cultural landscapes.

Question 17

ETHICAL LAND USE

Principles of Policy and Planning

Answer 17

Timothy Beatley
1994
Planning policy decisions involve ethical choices;
Used case studies and scenarios to guide ethical choices.

Question 18

THE GEOGRAPHY OF NOWHERE

The Rise and Decline of America’s Man-Made Landscape

Answer 18

James Howard Kunstler
1994
Economic, social, and spiritual costs of America’s evolution from coherent communities to sprawl and anonymity,
Called to attention the loss of community identity and called upon readers to reinvent places (live/work) for revived civic art and life.

Question 19

BEST DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES

Doing the Right Thing and Making Money at the Same Time

Answer 19

Reid Ewing
1996
Case examples of acclaimed developments;
Guidelines for developers to create and profit from vibrant, livable communities;
Studies of how places are developed using sound planning principles (at least in part) and measures the result.

Question 20

NATURAL HAZARD MITIGATION

Recasting Disaster Policy and Planning

Answer 20

David R. Godschalk, 
Timothy Beatley, 
Philip Berke, 
David J. Brower, 
Edward J. Kaiser, 
Charles C. Bohl, R. 
Matthew Goebel
1999
Recovery an issue w/ climate change and sustainability; One of the first discussions of the issue

Question 21

TRANSPORTATION FOR LIVABLE CITIES

Answer 21

Vukan R. Vuchic
1999
Placed transportation at the heart good planning.
Role in smart growth and sustainable urban living, (roads and transit to traffic calming)