Philadelphia: Finding the Hidden City

The pictures are amazing. The narrative can be a bit confusing at times. The organization seems a bit haphazard. They divide the book into two sections one titled "city of infinite layers" the other titles "City of Living Ruins" yet both sections have similar types of images. In some cases the images are disconnected from their original function which can be confusing. Regardless of any weakness in organization the images are compelling and left me asking for more. There is a subtle implication that Philadelphia is past tense - but having lived in this area since 1976 I feel that Philadelphia has a maturity and life that is compelling. We have had a number of opportunities to move elsewhere but find the Philadelphia region "home." Part of that feeling of home can be found in this book -- the rich history of this area and the fact that so much of that history can still be seen; particularly when walking

Looks like a textbook! Hard cover is nice and information inside is fascinating. I grew up outside the city and didn't know the half of what these authors have in here. Photography is outstanding

This was a gift for my very dear friend who was born in "Phelphia". He loved it. He thought he knew everything about the city, and now he may.

Purchased as a gift and enthusiastically read cover to cover by the recipient in just a few days. Very satisfied.

Great book.

Beautifully illustrated book.

He is going to love it (gift)

In this 173-page book, three authors strive to reveal the skeletal form of the city, and to explore the ruins that inspire and challenge them. The book presents Philadelphia as an organic body that has evolved over the passage of 300 years, and suggests that elements of this evolution are akin to the dried bones of an extinct – or nearly extinct – animal, the fossils of which can still be found. It is hard to say whether the 103 photographs accompany the narrative, or whether the narrative accompanies the photographs. The photographs are outstanding. The Wanamaker organ, the Church of the Gesu, Holmesburg Prison, City Council’s Caucus Room, and many more, clear and in color. The cover photo of the Mill Creek Sewer brings back memories of the much smaller drainage tunnel at the northern edge of Lincoln High School’s property where we used to play as children. I would have liked to see photos of additional subjects, i.e., railroad facilities, the remains of textile mills, the Navy Yard, and others. However, it is not fair to expect that the authors’ interests will concur with mine. On the other hand, it is not too much to expect the narrative to be accurate. In many instances, the opinions expressed in this narrative can be traced to the writings of Nathaniel Burt. In other cases, the basis for opinions cannot be determined. The most egregious of these is the treatment of the action to integrate Girard College. The narrative accurately states that “Judge Joseph Lord ruled in 1967 that the will had to be broken. . .” But then the narrative adds that, “Lord’s clerk was David L. Cohen, later an architect of the rise of the Comcast Corporation.” What that comment adds to the narrative I do not know. At this late date, I cannot remember who were the law clerks for Judge Lord in 1967, but I am sure that Comcast Cohen was not one of them. In 1967, David L. Cohen was just eleven years old. This is a serious error, because if the witness is wrong in one part of his testimony, he may also be wrong in other parts. I am troubled by this inaccuracy of the narrative. Still, the quality of the photographs leads me to give the book five stars.