"Jane Jacobs is universally recognized as one of the key figures in American urbanism. The author of The Death and Life of Great American Cities, she uncovered the complex and intertwined physical and social fabric of the city and excoriated the urban renewal policies of the 1950s. As the legend goes, Jacobs, a housewife, single-handedly stood up to Robert Moses, New York City's powerful master builder, and other city planners who sought first to...

"In Walking in the City with Jane, award-winning author Susan Hughes tells the fictionalized story of Jane Jacobs through a celebration of city life and grassroots activism. Even as a young girl, Jane was an independent thinker with an extraordinary imagination and sense of wonder. She was known to challenge her teacher and was often found playing with her imaginary friends, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and Cedric the warrior. Always curious...