Genius of Place

The Life of Frederick Law Olmsted

By: Justin Martin

Narrated by: Richard Ferrone

Length: 18 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

Frederick Law Olmsted is arguably the most important historical figure that the average American knows the least about. Best remembered for his landscape architecture, from New York's Central Park to Boston's Emerald Necklace to Stanford University's campus, Olmsted was also an influential journalist, early voice for the environment, and abolitionist credited with helping dissuade England from joining the South in the Civil War. This momentous career was shadowed by a tragic personal life, also fully portrayed here.

Most of all, he was a social reformer. He didn't simply create places that were beautiful in the abstract. An awesome and timeless intent stands behind Olmsted's designs, allowing his work to survive to the present day. With our urgent need to revitalize cities and a widespread yearning for green space, his work is more relevant now than it was during his lifetime. Justin Martin restores Olmsted to his rightful place in the pantheon of great Americans.

©2011 Justin Martin (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

A Touchstone

One of the best accounts of the 19th century’s second half, told as an account of one of the best-connected, most creative personalities.

A Great Tribute To a True Genius

Generation of the book was well done, and complimented the terrific writing style of the author. Overall, an interesting and fairly lively look at Olmsted's life and works. I would recommend this for students, and anyone with an interest in how landscape architecture grew as a profession, and how Olmsted's vision was the driving force.

What a life!

Absolutely loved it!
I didn’t imagine that a man with landscaping legacy would also have influenced in the Red Cross and the NY Times. Awesome biography. A must read!!

No rambling for the man who crafted rambles

First biography to learn about the literal pioneer of landscape architecture and no clue of his varied background and life. This was a great treatment of the life of Fred as well as the USA growing into its own from antebellum times through to the 20th century…all captured with one man.

The Genius of Olmsted

This is an excellent overview of Olmsted's life and times. His self-education and wide variety of experience gave him the insight to help establish a very important profession. His importance in history will be magnified as the need for humans to live in harmony with nature becomes the existential issue of our times.

An Impactful Life

A truly amazing life arc. From many different vocations as a youth he found his passion and calling which is still inspiring many to this day. I have visited a few of his creations and can’t wait to go track down and see some more!

Marvelous

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Olmsted's life was sublimely interesting; he spent considerable portions of his life as a "scientific farmer," a newspaper reporter, the author of "travelogues" chronicling his journeys through the American South and England in the early 1850s, the supervisor of mining operations at the Mariposa gold mine in Bear Valley CA, the founder and head of the US Sanitary Commission during the Civil War, . . . - while along the way inventing, almost single-handedly, the profession of landscape architecture in the United States, creating a series of true masterpieces (NYC's Central, Prospect, Morningside, and Riverside Parks, Boston's "Emerald Necklace" parks, the grounds of the US Capitol, the Stanford University campus, among many, many others). Martin's book is wonderfully well-constructed and he tells the story with verve, and I found it extraordinarily interesting from start to finish and, by the end, quite moving.

Genius Beckons

An incredible biography of a man destined to leave us an amazing legacy. How he stumbles into his true vocation while launching other landmark endeavors generates a story to inspire! For those who care about the environment and social justice, reading about Frederick Law Olmsted's life and work is foundational.

Excellent biography of F L Olmsted.

Stay with it. He winds a wonderful story of the life and times of FLO

shaky start but strong finish

some of the verbiage early in the story felt too modern and took me out of the experience, but the story as a whole is well researched and expertly written. Wish more time had been spent on the Biltmore