Genius of Place: The Life of Frederick Law Olmsted (A Merloyd Lawrence Book)

by Justin Martin

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Describes the life of the landscape architect responsible for New York's Central Park and Boston's Emerald Necklace including his lesser-known time spent as an influential journalist, early voice for the environment and abolitionist, all overshadowed by a tragic personal life.

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Time Exposure: The Autobiography of William Henry Jackson by William Henry Jackson (rakerman)
rakerman: Olmstead lived from 1822-1903, William Henry Jackson from 1843-1942. They both lived extraordinary, varied lives in the 19th Century, when today's United States was still very much a frontier in the west, and for a time at war with itself. Their paths intersect at Yosemite, whose protection owes much to the understanding of nature and political connections of Olmstead, and the amazing photographs of Jackson.… (more)
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A Clearing In The Distance: Frederick Law Olmsted and America in the 19th Century by Witold Rybczynski (rakerman)
rakerman: Rybczynski's biography is much more detailed, but has the dubious technique of occasional fictional imaginings of Olmstead's thoughts. Martin's biography moves at a quicker pace and gives a sense of the broad sweep of Olmstead's life. Together they give a good picture.… (more)

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About ten years ago I read Witold Rybczynski's A Clearing in the Distance: Frederick Law Olmsted and America in the 19th Century, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Yet reading through Justin Martin's new bio on the larger-than-life figure made me realize that Rybczynski didn't have the last word on Olmsted. Both discuss his varied roles and his magisterial creations, but Martin delves deeper into the details, painting a lovely narrative that transports the reader to the ship Omsted sailed and toiled upon, his Staten Island farm, the Civil War battlefields, and the other places of his incredibly influential life.

archidose | Dec 17, 2023 |

renewed interest this title due to Suzanne - Lori introduced us one Sunday evening - we sat out in her garden wrapped in Pendleton - drinking plonk and eating Indian food Craig brought from unknown source (

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Overgaard | Jan 16, 2023 |

I really enjoyed this biography of Frederick Law Olmsted. A really interesting story that takes in much of what I think of as the long 19th Century. Social change, taking up abolitionism just before the Civil War. FLO managed the United States Sanitary Commission during the Civil War (the predecessor of the Red Cross). Then, of course, there is the history of Central Park and Prospect Park. Highly recommended. (

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3wheeledlibrarian | May 25, 2018 |

A great book about a wide-ranging life. (

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rakerman | Mar 8, 2012 |

Fascinating. Since I live in a part of the country surrounded by Olmsted's work, I was eager to read this book. I was struck by the diversity and background of Olmsted that was presented in the book. At first I was a bit taken aback by the informality of the writing. It's tone is quite different from other biographies I have read. As I became more engrossed in the book and reading about Olmsted's life, I found that the author's voice matched the subject of the book and the spirit of Olmsted's life. Great read. (

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Dlmcgow | Mar 5, 2012 |

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Somehow the visitor senses that these landscapes aspire to more than splendid scenery and skillful planning, and that Olmsted asked them to perform tasks that nobody had ever previously asked of landscape. How he did this, and why, is the subject of Justin Martin's "Genius of Place: The Life of Frederick Law Olmsted."

added by tim.taylor | editThe Wall Street Journal, Michael J. Lewis (May 31, 2011)

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People/Characters

Frederick Law Olmsted Sr

Frederick Law Olmsted Jr

Calvert Vaux

Andrew Jackson Downing

Charles Loring Brace

(show all 8 items)

Important places

Central Park, New York, New York, USA

Capitol Building Grounds, Washington, D.C., USA

Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina, USA

Emerald Necklace Parks, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New York, New York, USA

(show all 9 items)

Important events

World's Columbian Exposition

American Civil War (1861 | 1865)

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Hillside Cemetery (Middletown, New York)

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Describes the life of the landscape architect responsible for New York's Central Park and Boston's Emerald Necklace including his lesser-known time spent as an influential journalist, early voice for the environment and abolitionist, all overshadowed by a tragic personal life.

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