Charles Beveridge

LOA's compendium of Olmsted writings is a mix of biography, memoir, and essay -- unexpectedly expansive as a read, quite full of wonder really, but not matching any familiar reading experience. I found it made for a pleasurable read, so long as I let myself be guided where it went, allowed a different type of book to reveal itself to me.

My primary interest in Writings on Landscape, Culture, and Society was Olmsted's landscape & environmental writings. I knew of Olmsted as the architect for NYC's Central Park, and his influence on Chicago's White City. Included here is a wealth of writing on landscape architecture and design, but Olmsted's approach is far more holistic than anticipated, impressively so. His professional experience extended to executive of sanitary commission (read: Red Cross) for the Union in the US Civil War, journalism, and an abiding interest in nautical service. His outlook and principles amount to an American Renaissance Man, and his writings (including the many letters included here) reflect that broad, humanitarian concern.

Arranged chronologically, I expect it will be best to revisit the book by dipping into select pieces by topic. In my first reading (for which I completed perhaps three-quarters of the whole), I proceeded from first page and read straight through. This provides a pleasant introduction to Olmsted's interests and experience, but also means it's easy to lose the thread of particular themes as they are dropped for something else in the chronology.

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The point that I stand for is that no house is a fit place for a family that has not both public and private outside apartments. [458]

Themes of interest:
- Landscape architecture, not only design of public parks or private grounds but also ecology and conservation
- White supremacy and race relations in the US
- Proper role of public space in health and vitality of different settlements: village, town, city
- Education
- Influence of nautical tradition and ideal of gentleman farmer… (más)