Tag Archives: reading

One planner’s guide to non-fiction books about specific cities

Posted on May 20, 2021 by problogic

Nearly every city has at least one unique story to tell about itself and some cities are filled with many interesting ones. The story(ies) may be due to conflict or upheaval, its unique culture or geography, a natural or human … Continue reading →

Posted in Active transportation, Advocacy, bicycling, Biking, book reviews, books, cities, civics, civility, climate change, commerce, culture, demographics, economic development, ecosystems, environment, fun, geography, historic preservation, history, Housing, humanity, infrastructure, land use, literature, nature, place names, placemaking, planning, reading, revitalization, spatial design, sprawl, Statistics, third places, tourism, Trade, transportation, Travel, urban design, urban planning, writing | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Favorites of 2017

Posted on December 27, 2017 by problogic

One of my New Years resolutions for 2017 was to read more classic literature and watch classic films I have missed in the past. As you can see form this list, I have accomplished that, partially in thanks to TCM … Continue reading →

Posted in advertising, art, book reviews, books, branding, cartoons, Communications, culture, entertainment, film, fun, history, internet, libraries, literature, movies, music, music reviews, reading, Science, Science fiction, Television, theaters, writing | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Climatopolis” isn’t “Hot” enough to evoke change

Posted on October 14, 2014 by problogic

I was looking forward to reading Climatopolis, by author Matthew Kahn, as its title hinted at the eye-opening and daunting challenges facing society that I found previously while reading the superb book, Hot, Living Through the Next 50 Years on Earth by … Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative energy, art, book reviews, books, cities, civics, civility, climate change, commerce, Communications, culture, economics, Economy, energy, entertainment, environment, geography, globalization, government, history, humanity, literature, planning, politics, pollution, Renewable Energy, Science, sustainability, Uncategorized, urban planning, weather, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

America’s most/least literate cities

Posted on March 5, 2014 by problogic

For the most part, I will let these lists speak for themselves. Most literate cities in America: Washington, DC Seattle, Washington Minneapolis, Minnesota Atlanta, Georgia Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Least literate cities (all news is not so sunny from the Sunbelt): Bakersfield, … Continue reading →

Posted in books, cities, colleges, Communications, Economy, education, geography, humanity, Language, literature, North America, poverty, reading, schools, Statistics, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Tackling the continent’s great divide by foot

Posted on December 5, 2013 by problogic

I finished reading an interesting and enjoyable book last week that was written by Jennifer A. Hanson. Entitled, Hiking the Continental Divide Trail; One Woman’s Journey, the book documented a multi-month long hiking journey she and her husband (for most … Continue reading →

Posted in Active transportation, Animals, art, book reviews, books, civics, Communications, education, environment, family, fitness, fun, geography, hiking, history, land use, landscape architecture, literature, Love, nature, peace, recreation, seasons, spatial design, sustainability, tourism, trails, transportation, Travel, walking, Wildlife, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Seeking happiness in ”The Geography of Bliss”

Posted on October 17, 2013 by problogic

What do the Netherlands, Switzerland, Qatar, Iceland, Bhutan, Moldova, Thailand, India, Great Britain, and the United States all have in common? There are places that author Eric Weiner visited in his worldwide quest to determine the roots of true happiness … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, air travel, airports, Animals, art, book reviews, books, cities, civics, civility, coffee shops/cafes, Communications, culture, diversity, entertainment, family, geography, globalization, government, health, history, human rights, humanity, inclusiveness, India, Language, literature, Love, peace, placemaking, planning, politics, poverty, reading, Science, Statistics, sustainability, third places, tourism, Travel, UK, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Wavering between tomorrow and yesterday

Posted on September 11, 2013 by problogic

My guess is that most readers of this blog have at one time or another sampled an e-reader, tablet, or equivalent technology to slowly peruse an electronic version of a book. If you are like me, you probably found them to … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, book reviews, books, civility, commerce, Communications, consumerism, culture, entertainment, environment, fun, general, history, humanity, internet, libraries, literature, reading, Social media, technology, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Weaving Durban into words – a marvelous urban anthology!

Posted on August 28, 2013 by problogic

I cannot praise the book Durban in a Word highly enough. It is hands down the best collection of short stories and essays I have ever (ever!) read…and they are all about one quite amazing city and its residents – Durban (eThekwini), … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, architecture, art, book reviews, books, branding, cities, civics, civility, commerce, Communications, consumerism, Cuisine, culture, density, diversity, downtown, economic development, Economy, education, entertainment, entrepreneurship, environment, family, fitness, Food, fun, geography, globalization, government, health, historic preservation, history, homelessness, Housing, human rights, humanity, immigration, inclusiveness, India, infrastructure, Labor, land use, landscape architecture, Language, music, nature, new urbanism, peace, pictures, placemaking, planning, politics, poverty, psychology, racism, reading, Religion, revitalization, schools, seasons, skylines, Small business, spatial design, sports, sprawl, Statistics, sustainability, technology, third places, tourism, Trade, transit, transportation, Travel, UK, urban planning, walking, weather, Wildlife, Women, writing, zoning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Airmail dAIRdevils – one ‘first-class’ read

Posted on April 18, 2013 by problogic

Most of us have become accustomed to the benefits of overnight air delivery of mail, packages, and freight in the past three or four decades. The onset of corporate giants like Fedex and UPS have made these services largely routine. … Continue reading →

Posted in aerospace, air travel, airport planning, airports, art, aviation, book reviews, books, civics, commerce, Communications, culture, economic development, economic gardening, Economy, education, entertainment, entrepreneurship, film, geography, government, historic preservation, history, infrastructure, land use, logistics, military, planning, politics, product design, Statistics, technology, Trade, transportation, Travel, Women, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The urban bicyclist’s magazine du jour

Posted on March 6, 2012 by problogic

Just this past weekend while manning the MSU Bikes booth at the 17th Annual Quiet Waters Symposium in East Lansing, I was introduced to a bicycling magazine I had not come across before – Urban Velo.  After reading a few issues, it … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art, bicycling, cities, culture, density, diversity, economic development, environment, fun, health, land use, new urbanism, placemaking, planning, transportation, urban planning | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment