The first biography of Jane Jacobs for young people, the visionary
activist, urbanist, and thinker who transformed the way we inhabit and
develop our cities.
Jane Jacobs was born more than a hundred years ago, yet the ideas she
popularized--about cities, about people, about making a better
world--remain hugely relevant today. Now, in Jane Jacobs: Champion of
Cities, Champion of People, we have the first biography for young
people of the visionary activist, urbanist, and thinker.
Debut author Rebecca Pitts draws on archives and Jacobs's own writings
to paint a vivid picture of a headstrong and principled young girl who
grew into one of the most important advocates of her time, and whose
impact on the city of New York in particular can still be seen today.
Jacobs went against the conventional wisdom of the time that said cities
should be designed by so-called experts, "cleaned up," and separated by
use, arguing that such pie-in-the-sky visions paid very little attention
to the wants and needs of people who actually live in cities. Jane
instead championed diversity, community, "the life of the street," and
the power of grassroots movements to make cities better and more
equitable for all. She never backed down, even when it meant going up
against the most powerful man in New York, Robert Moses.
Here is a story of standing up for what you know is right, with
real-world takeaways for young activists. Jane Jacobs: Champion of
Cities, Champion of People emphasizes how today's teens can take
inspiration from Jane's own activism "playbook," promoting change by
focusing on local issues and community organizing.
