Walter C. Kidney (1932–2005)

Pittsburgh Pennsylvania is often ranked as one of the most livable and attractive cities in the USA. This book reveals it also to be one of the most beautiful. The photos show extraordinarily attractive urban landscapes, with clean and colorful buildings, impressive architecture, and aerial views of the "three rivers" that meet at the city triangle. Other photos show parks, museums, the University of Pittsburgh (with its extraordinary, gothic, Cathedral of Learning), Duquesne University, the show more Carnegie Museum , and many other sites familiar to residents and visitors. As in other works of the "Then and Now" series, contemporary photos are placed opposite of photos from bygone days of the 1800s and early 1900s. The comparisons emphasize how far Pittsburgh has evolved from the "smoky city" of the steel mill days. I am reasonably familiar with Pittsburgh, but this book opened my eyes to just how attractive the city. This book is highly recommended to residents (current and former), and may well convince travelers who haven't made it to western Pennsylvania to visit this attractive, modern city. show less

Very good for what it is but I must confess I was a little disappointed. The book concentrates on dahntahn architecture whereas I was looking for before/after views of different neighborhoods and suburbs such as Homewood, Wilkinsburg, Munhall, Penn Hills, an'at.

A history of American architecture over a rather short period of time. One quarter-page picture of the Cathedral, Illustration #92. Discussion, p. 38-40. Doesn't it deserve more?