内容简介
Thirtyyearsafteritspublication，TheDeathandLifeofGreatAmericanCitieswasdescribedbyTheNewYorkTimesas"perhapsthemostinfluentialsingleworkinthehistoryoftownplanning....[It]canalsobeseeninamuchlargercontext.Itisfirstofallaworkofliterature;thedescriptionsofstreetlifeasakindofballetandthebitinglysatiricaccountoftraditionalplanningtheorycanstillbereadforpleasureevenbythosewholongagoabsorbedandappropriatedthebook'sarguments."JaneJacobs，aneditorandwriteronarchitectureinNewYorkCityintheearlysixties，arguedthaturbandiversityandvitalitywerebeingdestroyedbypowerfularchitectsandcityplanners.Rigorous，sane，anddelightfullyepigrammatic，Jacobs'ssmallmasterpieceisablueprintforthehumanisticmanagementofcities.Itissensible，knowledgeable，readable，indispensable.TheauthorhaswrittenanewforewordforthisModernLibraryedition.
作者简介
JaneJacobswasbornonMay4,1916,inScranton,Pennsylvania.Herfatherwasaphysicianandhermothertaughtschoolandworkedasanurse.AfterhighschoolandayearspentasareporterontheScrantonTribune,JacobswenttoNewYork,whereshefoundasuccessionofjobsasastenographerandwrotefree-lancearticlesaboutthecity'smanyworkingdistricts,whichfascinatedher.In1952,afteranumberofwritingandeditingjobsranginginsubjectmatterfrommetallurgytoageographyoftheUnitedStatesforforeignreaders,shebecameanassociateeditorofArchitecturalForum.Shewasbecomingincreasinglyskepticalofconventionalplanningbeliefsasshenoticedthatthecityrebuildingprojectsshewasassignedtowriteaboutseemedneithersafe,interesting,alive,norgoodeconomicsforcitiesoncetheprojectswerebuiltandinoperation.ShegaveaspeechtothateffectatHarvardin1956,andthisledtoanarticleinFortunemagazineentitled"DowntownIsforPeople,"whichinturnledtoTheDeathandLifeofGreatAmericanCities.Thebookwaspublishedin1961andproducedpermanentchangesinthedebateoverurbanrenewalandthefutureofcities.Inoppositiontothekindoflarge-scale,bulldozinggovernmentinterventionincityplanningassociatedwithRobertMosesandwithfederalslum-clearingprojects,Jacobsproposedarenewalfromthegroundup,emphasizingmixeduseratherthanexclusivelyresidentialorcommercialdistricts,anddrawingonthehumanvitalityofexistingneighborhoods:"Vitalcitieshavemarvelousinnateabilitiesforunderstanding,communicating,contriving,andinventingwhatisrequiredtocombattheirdifficulties....Lively,diverse,intensecitiescontaintheseedsoftheirownregeneration,withenergyenoughtocarryoverforproblemsandneedsoutsidethemselves."AlthoughJacobs'slackofexperienceaseitherarchitectorcityplannerdrewcriticism,TheDeathandLifeofGreatAmericanCitieswasquicklyrecognizedasoneofthemostoriginalandpowerfullyarguedbooksofitsday.Itwasvariouslypraisedas"themostrefreshing,provocative,stimulating,andexcitingstudyofthisgreatestofourproblemsoflivingwhichIhaveseen"(HarrisonSalisbury)and"amagnificentstudyofwhatgiveslifeandspirittothecity"(WilliamH.Whyte).Jacobsismarriedtoanarchitect,whoshesaystaughtherenoughtobecomeanarchitecturalwriter.Theyhavetwosonsandadaughter.In1968theymovedtoToronto,whereJacobshasoftenassumedanactivistroleinmattersrelatingtodevelopmentandhasbeenanadviseronthereformofthecity'splanningandhousingpolicies.Shewasaleaderinthesuccessfulcampaigntoblockconstructionofamajorexpresswayonthegroundsthatitwoulddomoreharmthangood,andhelpedpreventthedemolitionofanentireneighborhooddowntown.ShehasbeenaCanadiancitizensince1974.HerwritingsincludeTheEconomyofCities(1969);TheQuestionofSeparatism(1980),aconsiderationoftheissueofsovereigntyforQuebec;CitiesandtheWealthofNations(1984),amajorstudyoftheimportanceofcitiesandtheirregionsintheglobaleconomy;andhermostrecentbook,SystemsofSurvival(1993).,,,
