{"product_id":"city-squares-eighteen-writers-on-the-spirit-and-significance-of-squares-around-the-world-isbn-9780062380203","title":"City Squares: Eighteen Writers on the Spirit and Significance of Squares Around the World","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this important collection, eighteen renowned writers, including David Remnick, Zadie Smith, Rebecca Skloot, Rory Stewart, and Adam Gopnik evoke the spirit and history of some of the world’s most recognized and significant city squares, accompanied by illustrations from equally distinguished photographers.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOver half of the world’s citizens now live in cities, and this number is rapidly growing. At the heart of these municipalities is the square—the defining urban public space since the dawn of democracy in Ancient Greece. Each square stands for a larger theme in history: cultural, geopolitical, anthropological, or architectural, and each of the eighteen luminary writers has contributed his or her own innate talent, prodigious research, and local knowledge.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDivided into three parts: Culture, Geopolitics, History, headlined by Michael Kimmelman, David Remnick, and George Packer, this significant anthology shows the city square in new light. Jehane Noujaim, award-winning filmmaker, takes the reader through her return to Tahrir Square during the 2011 protest; Rory Stewart, diplomat and author, chronicles a square in Kabul which has come and gone several times over five centuries; Ari Shavit describes the dramatic changes of central Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square; Rick Stengel, editor, author, and journalist, recounts the power of Mandela’s choice of the Grand Parade, Cape Town, a huge market square to speak to the world right after his release from twenty-seven years in prison; while award-winning journalist Gillian Tett explores the concept of the virtual square in the age of social media.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis collection is an important lesson in history, a portrait of the world we live in today, as well as an exercise in thinking about the future. Evocative and compelling, \u003cem\u003eCity Squares\u003c\/em\u003e will change the way you walk through a city.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eContributors include:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDavid Adjaye on Jemma e-Fnna, Marrakech • Anne Applebaum on Red Square, Moscow and Grand Market Square, Krakow • Chrystia Freeland on Euromaiden, Kiev • Adam Gopnik on Place des Vosges, Paris • Alma Guillermoprieto on Zocalo, Mexico City • Jehane Noujaim on Tahrir Square, Cairo • Evan Osnos on Tiananmen Square, Beijing • Andrew Roberts on Residential Squares, London • Elif Shafak on Taksim Square, Istanbul • Rebecca Skloot on American Town Squares • Ari Shavit on Rabin Square, Tel Aviv • Zadie Smith on the grand piazzas of Rome and Venice • Richard Stengel on Market Square, Grand Parade, Cape Town • Rory Stewart on Murad Khane, Kabul • Plus contributions by Gillian Tett, George Packer, David Remnick, and Michael Kimmelman; illustrations and photographs from renowned photographers, including: Thomas Struth, Philip Lorca di Corcia, and Josef Koudelka\u003c\/p\u003e | \u003cp\u003eIn this important collection, eighteen renowned writers—including Zadie Smith, \u003cem\u003eNew Yorker\u003c\/em\u003e editor David Remnick, and \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e bestselling author Ari Shavit—evoke the spirit of city squares around the world, in original essays enhanced by more than ninety stunning color photographs.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOver half of the world’s citizens now live in cities, and the number is growing. At the heart of these municipalities is the city square, the defining urban public space since the dawn of democracy in ancient Greece. Divided into three sections, focusing on culture, geopolitics, and history, and each introduced by incisive cultural observers—\u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e architecture critic Michael Kimmelman, David Remnick, and National Book Award winner George Packer—the essays in \u003cem\u003eCity Squares\u003c\/em\u003e visit very different landmarks on four continents. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSome contributors have personal connections to the public spaces featured in their pieces: Paris’s Place des Vosges figures into Adam Gopnik’s own history as well as that of France, just as Rome’s piazzas are central to Zadie Smith’s recollection of her time in Italy. Others recognize sites of major import: Pulitzer Prize winner Anne Applebaum contrasts two Cold War–era landmarks, Moscow’s Red Square and Krakow’s Grand Market Square; while Evan Osnos reflects on the symbolic power of Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. But whether intimate or global in scope, each essay showcases its author’s prodigious research, local knowledge, and distinctive voice.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAccompanied by vibrant images from distinguished photographers such as Massimo Vitali and Philip-Lorca diCorcia, City Squares is a lesson in history, a portrait of our world today, and an exercise in thinking about the future. The rich history of London’s residential squares; a visit to Cairo’s Tahrir Square at the height of the Arab Spring; abandoning the physical altogether to investigate the concept of the virtual square: All are contemplations of the essential roles these sites play in global life. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEvocative, timely, and thought-provoking, \u003cem\u003eCity Squares\u003c\/em\u003e explores ideas of identity, community, and memory. Here is a magisterial work that will change the way you look at a city.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAdvance Praise for \u003cem\u003eCity Squares\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Public spaces are among the magical achievements of the human landscape. Entirely artificial, they make cities communities. They create a place where people are encouraged to gather, talk, eat, pray, govern, and mourn—together. They change the character of cities and thus of civilizations. Catie Marron has done a splendid job of bringing together some of the smartest voices to reflect on some of the most beautiful or important or intriguing public spaces in the world. The result is itself magical.”—Fareed Zakaria, author of \u003cem\u003eIn Defense of a Liberal Education\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“\u003cem\u003eCity Squares\u003c\/em\u003e is a beautiful and haunting collection of essays by some of the finest writers of today. Each chapter is a jewel in itself. Taken together, however, these essays demonstrate the endurance of the human spirit in the spaces and squares of public life. It can never be fully extinguished—even in the face of guns, tanks, and bulldozers.”—Dr. Amanda Foreman, historian and author of \u003cem\u003eGeorgiana: Duchess of Devonshire\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eA World on Fire\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Savor many of the world’s most important writers on many of the world’s most important places—city squares that incubate and animate democracy, culture, and the human spirit. I love learning about how the personal stories of writers I admire intersect with history and urban life.”—Jonathan Alter, journalist and \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e bestselling author\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Catie Marron’s \u003cem\u003eCity Squares\u003c\/em\u003e is a revelation. It takes you on an incredible journey across the world’s greatest cities and their squares through the eyes of the best writers and thinkers. With every turn of the page, you will learn something new.”—Richard Florida, Global Research Professor at New York University and national bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eThe Rise of the Creative\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eClass\u003c\/em\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e | \u003cp\u003e“Catie Marron’s \u003ci\u003eCity Squares\u003c\/i\u003e is a revelation. It takes you on an incredible journey across the world’s greatest cities and their squares through the eyes of the best writers and thinkers. With every turn of the page, you will learn something new.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eRichard Florida, nationally bestselling author of The Rise of the Creative Class and Global Research Professor at New York University\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Savor many of the world’s most important writers on many of the world’s most important places—city squares that incubate and animate democracy, culture and the human spirit. I love learning about how the personal stories of writers I admire intersect with history and urban life.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eJonathan Alter, journalist and New York Times bestselling author\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“[A] brilliant anthology of essays celebrating the city square…which travelers invariably find indispensable as starting, ending, or gathering points.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNational Geographic\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Demonstrates the potential of public space to influence both personal lives and social conditions…. These 18 essays remind us that we bring ourselves to fill the empty spaces.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePopMatters.com\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Highly intelligent.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eIntrospective Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“The essays and their accompanying photography interact with one another, constructing a cross-cultural narrative of diverse societal interaction and activism.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I found myself with city-break wanderlust after dipping into this absorbing and visually striking anthology…[of] stellar writers…. There are arresting photographs throughout.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Bookseller (Editor’s Choice)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Recommended for those with an interest in how urban spaces intersect with culture, history, and politics, and for travelers seeking a deeper understanding of these famous locations.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A corrective to travel writing’s tendency to obsess over wilderness and mountains, this collection of essays zooms in on the squares at the heart of the world’s cities.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eFinancial Times Summer Books\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A charming and informative guide to the architecture, history, politics, and culture of landmark square…. City squares are vital spaces throughout much of the globe.…  Beautiful photos follow each essay.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eChicago Tribune\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“\u003cem\u003eCity Squares\u003c\/em\u003e packs an anthropological punch…. The book isn’t just a chronicle of the formation of urban identity; it speaks to the evolution of the modern human.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSurface Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“\u003cem\u003eCity Squares\u003c\/em\u003e is a beautiful and haunting collection of essays by some of the finest writers of today. Each chapter is a jewel in itself. Taken together, however, these essays demonstrate the endurance of the human spirit in the spaces and squares of public life.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eDr. Amanda Foreman, historian and author of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire and A World on Fire\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Public spaces are among the magical achievements of the human landscape. Entirely artificial, they make cities communities. They create a place where people are encouraged to gather, talk, eat, pray, govern and mourn—together. They change the character of cities and thus of civilizations. Catie Marron has done a splendid job of bringing together some of the smartest voices to reflect on some of the most beautiful or important or intriguing public spaces in the world. The result is itself magical.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eFareed Zakaria, In Defense of A Liberal Education\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Catie Marron has done a splendid job of bringing together some of the smartest voices to reflect on some of the most beautiful or important or intriguing public spaces in the world. The result is itself magical.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eFareed Zakaria, In Defense of A Liberal Education\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Smartly divided into thematic sections: culture, geopolitics, and history…[and] beautifully illustrated.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eWall Street Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Kaleidoscopic….A lively and stylishly illustrated collection, it’s perfect for dipping into on a bench in Union Square, or with an aperitivo in the Campo de’Fiori.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eFinancial Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“The contributions…are thoughtful and sometimes even surprising…. A worthy celebration of the ‘one essential urban space’…. Dozens of images make a grand testimonial to how people live their lives in public spaces.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Harper","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44888283971813,"sku":"NP9780062380203","price":32.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780062380203.jpg?v=1730228721","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/city-squares-eighteen-writers-on-the-spirit-and-significance-of-squares-around-the-world-isbn-9780062380203","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}