Susan Daley Bücher

Exploring the remnants of working-class commercial architecture from 1870 to 1940, this work offers a poignant examination of the historical significance and cultural impact of these structures. It highlights the stories they tell about the communities they served and the socioeconomic conditions of their time. Through detailed analysis and evocative imagery, the book captures the essence of an era marked by transformation and resilience in the face of changing urban landscapes.

This book captures the beauty and history of 20 American houses that have survived the ravages of time. The dilapidated elegance imparted by old wallcoverings and faded or peeling paint, antique furniture in varying stages of repair and a respect for "how things were" is revealed in photographs. The visual impact of these houses is enhanced by text that explores the history of the architecture and "who" the houses are - the stories of the family dynasties, hauntings and elderly eccentrics who maintain the houses.

Greenwich Village is best known as the bastion of America's avant-garde, a mecca for artists and writers, free thinkers and blithe spirits. But the Village is also one of the nation's most venerable urban comniunities, rich in social and architectural history. In 1811, ambitious city fathers blueprinted a lock-step grid for the whole of Manhattan. The independent-minded residents of Greenwich vigorously protested. They wanted their rural hamlet to remain a place apart, left to evolve in its own way. They won the fight and to this day the area is distinguished by its web of crooked streets, many crowded with two- and three-story rowhouses seventeen decades old, others lined with charming cafes and bistros. This legacy of independence is also exemplified by the buoyant iconoclasm of Village inhabitants, a Who's Who of artistic and literary America, from Walt Whitman and Henry James to Jackson Pollock and Sam Shepard. The striking color photographs in this volume celebrate the spirit of the Village, the tranquil churchyards and vibrant piazzas, the handsome facades and cheerful storefronts. An introduction surveys the Village's cultural history and evokes its memorable personalities. Above all, Old Greenwich Village captures the neighborhood's exquisite blend of past and present and "the eccentricity that has enabled the Village to remain, after two centuries, truly a village."