| Bourgeois Nightmares: Suburbia, 1870-1930 Contributor(s): Fogelson, Robert M. (Author) |
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ISBN: 0300124171 ISBN-13: 9780300124170 Publisher: Yale University Press OUR PRICE: $35.64 Product Type: Paperback Published: September 2007 Annotation: The quintessential American suburbs, with their gracious single-family homes, large green lawns, and leaf-shaded streets, reflected not only residents' dreams but nightmares, not only hopes but fears: fear of others, of racial minorities and lowincome groups, fear of themselves, fear of the market, and, above all, fear of change. These fears, and the restrictive covenants that embodied them, are the subject of Robert M. Fogelson's fascinating new book. As Fogelson reveals, suburban subdividers attempted to cope with the deep-seated fears of unwanted change, especially the encroachment of "undesirable" people and activities, by imposing a wide range of restrictions on the lots. These restrictions ranged from mandating minimum costs and architectural styles for the houses to forbidding the owners to sell or lease their property to any member of a host of racial, ethnic, and religious groups. These restrictions, many of which are still commonly employed, tell us as much about the complexities of American society today as about its complexities a century ago. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - History | United States - 20th Century - History | United States - 19th Century - History | Social History |
| Dewey: 307.760 |
| LCCN: 2005009023 |
| Physical Information: 0.59" H x 5.43" W x 8.09" (0.64 lbs) 272 pages |
| Themes: - Chronological Period - 1851-1899 - Chronological Period - 1900-1949 - Chronological Period - 20th Century |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: An eminent urban historian uncovers the long-neglected history of the restrictive covenants that played a pivotal role in shaping America's suburbs The quintessential American suburbs, with their gracious single-family homes, large green lawns, and leaf-shaded streets, reflected not only residents' dreams but nightmares, not only hopes but fears: fear of others, of racial minorities and lowincome groups, fear of themselves, fear of the market, and, above all, fear of change. These fears, and the restrictive covenants that embodied them, are the subject of Robert M. Fogelson's fascinating new book. As Fogelson reveals, suburban subdividers attempted to cope with the deep-seated fears of unwanted change, especially the encroachment of "undesirable" people and activities, by imposing a wide range of restrictions on the lots. These restrictions ranged from mandating minimum costs and architectural styles for the houses to forbidding the owners to sell or lease their property to any member of a host of racial, ethnic, and religious groups. These restrictions, many of which are still commonly employed, tell us as much about the complexities of American society today as about its complexities a century ago. |