Lion of the Valley: St. Louis, Missouri, 1764-1980

Rating:
Summary: Superb
Review: This is simply one of the best books I have read on the history of a city. Not a simple tour of neighborhoods, architecture or ethnic groups that settled in various enclaves of the city, but rather a comprehensive and intelligent look at a city from its earliest days, placed against the backdrop of its development in the region and history. the only comparable book on a city that i have read which is better from an economic and regional development standpoint is nature's metropolis about chicago. one wonders why we do not have more gems like these about all american cities. perhaps we would take better care of our hometowns if we knew more about their past from a thoughtful perspective. anyway, lion of the valley is superb.

j. martignon

Rating:
Summary: Superb
Review: This is simply one of the best books I have read on the history of a city. Not a simple tour of neighborhoods, architecture or ethnic groups that settled in various enclaves of the city, but rather a comprehensive and intelligent look at a city from its earliest days, placed against the backdrop of its development in the region and history. the only comparable book on a city that i have read which is better from an economic and regional development standpoint is nature's metropolis about chicago. one wonders why we do not have more gems like these about all american cities. perhaps we would take better care of our hometowns if we knew more about their past from a thoughtful perspective. anyway, lion of the valley is superb.

j. martignon

Rating:
Summary: Incredibly dense.
Review: Though obviously well written and deeply researched, Lion of the Valley is so incredibly dense it's a challenge to read. Every page is so packed with tiny factoids about people, associations, political developments, bond issues, etc., that only a few topics rise above the clutter to stick with the reader. (I found myself frequently going back a page or two to reestablish the identity of a person, place or thing.) But then again, in covering 200+ years of history, how does one limit the subject matter?

Having read other city-specific histories (namely, Chicago and NYC), I view Lion as more of a textbook than an engaging narrative. Informative, enlightening, yes. But not an easy read.