[Vision2020] sense of place

[Debbie Gray]

For a change of pace, I'd like to recommend a book I just 
finished called 'Outside lies magic : regaining history and 
awareness in everyday places /by John R. Stilgoe' 
(isbn:0802775632 pbk)

I really enjoyed this book and it is a great reminder to explore 
our own built and natural environment and see what patterns we 
can observe and what stories they might tell. From gated 
communities to railroad patterns and how fences 
define/protect/isolate us, it's really a fascinating 
exploration...

debbie

Here's the amazon.com review if you are interested...
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Amazon.com
What lies along the highway, just out of sight? How about behind 
that building? Or under the street? Most of us muse idly about 
such things as we take our walks or drive our cars, but only a 
few go further and explore the secret histories of the places 
where we live. Landscape historian John R. Stilgoe is one of 
these intrepid explorers; for years he has taught Harvard 
students to open their senses to the created environment we 
share, to gently dissect our neighborhoods and public spaces for 
the knowledge hidden in plain sight. In Outside Lies Magic, he 
lets us all in on these wonderful secrets.

Guiding us on tracks laid by utility and railroad companies, 
showing us the hidden territory of postal systems, Stilgoe 
reminds us that important frontiers lie invisible in our 
backyards and side streets, waiting for our attention. Though 
more interested in showing us how to see than telling us what 
there is to see, his descriptions of power-line right-of-ways, 
alley-side entrances, and hobo jungles provide compelling 
incentive for the reader to take his advice to heart and start 
looking around and asking questions of the community. If you 
think it's important to "think locally," Outside Lies Magic is 
an outstanding training manual. --Rob Lightner