The Homes of the Park Cities, Dallas: Great American Suburbs

• Great Houses Of Texas
• Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients
• Houses of Missouri, 1870-1940 (Suburban Domestic Architecture)
• Good Christian Bitches
• The Houses of Greenwich Village

Illustrated with over 280 specially commissioned photographs, in addition to over 75 maps, graphs, and archival images, this insightful work covers the history and development of Dallas's suburbs, as well as the architects who designed them. Homes also features several appendices, providing notes on how to preserve early-twentieth century homes and a catalogue listing over 1,600 homes by address and architect. McAlester authored an additional appendix that illustrates the architectural styles found in The Park Cities, which run the gamut from Tudor and Colonial Revival to Minimal Traditional and Mid-Century Modern.

As grand as the houses it chronicles, Homes of the Park Cities, Dallas will fascinate architects, historians, suburbanites, and would-be suburbanites alike.

325 full-color photographs
plus 75 maps and archival images

The breathtaking linear and pocket parks and the slight roll the the terrain give the neighborhood a uniqueness. The author has done her homework and as a native to Dallas, she gives the subject the attention it deserves. Though the Park Cities, in particular, the more affluent Highland Park, has gone through the McMansion phenomenon, the neighborhood is none the worst for it, by in large the new homes are elegant and chic, with a few notible acceptions, uh one being that HORRIBLE mess on the corner of Armstrong and Preston, really I think the city should purchase it and tear it down for a small park, but i digress. Kessler and Cook did a fantastic job in their design of Highland Park, Old and New Highland park are like beautiful identical twins, your always trying to deside which is the more spectacular. As for as im concerned the Park Cities are the closest thing to heaven on earth as you can get.

This book is a welcome addition to anyones collection, the images are beautiful and the history is enlightening. I absolutely love to jog through the winding streets and admire the beautiful landscape. I've been to River Oaks, Beverly Hills, Buckhead, Grosse Pointe, etc.and I can honestly say, the Park Cities are by far and away my favorite. No doubt this is one of the Great American suburbs, I think the Greatest. University Park is equally interesting, as the home of SMU and at it's center the uber chic, Volk Estates, as well as all the spectucular churches, they may be called Highland Park this and Highland Park that, but they actually are all in University Park.

Who knew that the Park Cities steadfastly, and presciently, avoided constant pressure and intimidation by the City of Dallas for annexation, thereby avoiding the zoning/building incompetence that Dallas continues to struggle with to this day. LOVE THE HISTORY. Before discovering this book, I thought of the Park Cities as a place to avoid, or if absolutely necessary , drive through with the utmost caution and dread, due to the local police force's penchant for pulling over outsiders for the most mundane of traffic infractions, or simply for just "looking" suspicious. LOVE THIS BOOK. Who knew that Azaleas, the signature foliage of the Park Cities, were not native plants, but actually a brilliant business strategy executed by a new and struggling landscape company. LOVE THE ESSAYS. Well, this book does all of that and more.

Imagine my surprise when I started pouring through the pages of "The Homes of Park Cities", and was drawn by Clicque's artful photographs, Mackintosh's entertaining essays, and McAlester/Winters' excellent and informative scholarly research and writing. Who knew that a coffee table book would make a confirmed "Park Cities Naysayer", such as myself, a convert. FIVE STARS. LOVE THE PHOTOGRAPHS.

It features sumptuous photography, scholarly research, amusing and informative historical anecdotes, rare archival images.all presented in a beautifully laid-out and artfully done volume. If you are interested in the development of american suburbs throughout the twentieth century then you must procure this excellent tome. I would love to see it. When is the documentary coming out. Just wanted to weigh in on a fascinating "coffee-table" book. Never thought that I would be completely engaged by the history of the Park Cities in Dallas, Texas.but I am. A MUST BUY FOR THE HOLIDAYS. Kudos to the authors and photographer.