"Building Suburbia will become the standard work on the suburban landscape in the United States."

--Ann Forsyth, author of Constructing Suburbs

"Important. . . . More than a necessary read. . . . Inviting and lucid. . . . Often surprising. . . . Hayden shows us that it was not inevitable that our space turned out quite this way."

--Adrian Nicole LeBlanc, Newsweek.com

"Hayden tours us through the familiar landscape of American suburbia and, with great verve, makes it more foreign--much more diverse, complex, and important."

--Lizabeth Cohen, author of A Consumers' Republic

Publisher Web Site, December, 2004

A lively history of the contested landscapes where the majority of Americans now live, Building Suburbia chronicles two centuries in the birth and development of America's metropolitan regions.

From rustic cottages reached by steamboat to big box stores at the exit ramps of eight-lane highways, Dolores Hayden defines seven eras of suburban development since 1820. An urban historian and architect, she portrays housewives and politicians as well as designers and builders making the decisions that have generated America's diverse suburbs. Residents have sought home, nature, and community in suburbia. Developers have cherished different dreams, seeking profit from economies of scale and increased suburban densities, while lobbying local and federal government to reduce the risk of real estate speculation. Encompassing environmental controversies as well as the complexities of race, gender, and class, Hayden's fascinating account will forever alter how we think about the communities we build and inhabit.