What We're Reading: New Book Alert!

What We’re Reading: a series where we, your librarians, share what we're reading this week. A post from Harry.

This week I've been reading through Becoming Philadelphia: How an Old American City Made Itself New Again by Inga Saffron, the long time architecture critic for the Philadelphia Inquirer. The book collects 20 years of her work writing columns about Philly's urban landscape and how it affected and still affects the city's residents.

Since the book is a collection of her journalistic work, it reads fast, each column no more than a few pages. It's an easy book to devour, and there is no problem in bouncing around from topic to topic at the reader's whim. 

What I enjoy most about this book is how it gives a historical recounting of the last 20 years of the city through the lens of architecture and urban design. Through Saffron's observations, Philly's modern timeline is measured by the construction of new buildings and the demolition of the old. 

I would recommend this book for those interested in local history, urbanism, and those who want to learn more about the intersection of urban development and gentrification. While the book would benefit from some historical context for those less familiar with the ins and outs of Philly politics, it is a great primer for better understanding our city as it stands today.