Take 5: Urban Planning Books By Women

Curated based solely on passion and personal impact, here are five planning tomes written by women to read during Women's History Month. These books span more than 60 years of women working to address challenges in the built environment.

 

Cover of Planners Press book, Creating Healthy Neighborhoods.

Creating Healthy Neighborhoods: Evidence-Based Planning and Design Strategies

Ann Forsyth, Emily Salomon, Laura Smead (2017).

Explores how to approach health — the physical, mental, and social — to create places designed for living well.

APA members receive 30% off all print book orders from Routledge.com.

 

The Death and Life of Great American Cities

Jane Jacobs (1961)

Inspiration for many to pursue a planning career, Jacob's book needs no introduction.

 

Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men

Caroline Criado Perez (2019)

Criado Perez looks at how data fails to take gender into considerationa resulting in ingrained bias in our systems.

 

Redesigning the American Dream: The Future of Housing, Work, and Family Life

Dolores Hayden (1984)

Hayden explores the relationship of gender roles, housing, and society.

 

Silent Spring

Rachel Carson (1962)

The spark for environmentalism and sustainability to take root in America. Also led to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

 

What planning-inspired book has impacted you personally or professionally? Share your thoughts via yourtake@planning.org.

Top image: Maria Petrishina - iStock/Getty Images Plus.


March 14, 2023