Three books, all written by women in the early 1960s, changed the way we looked at the world and ourselves: Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique, and Jane Jacobs's The Death and Life of Great American Cities. All three books created revolutions in their respective spheres of influence, and nothing affected city planning and architecture – or the way we think about how life is lived in densely packed urban centers – more than Jane Jacobs's far-sighted polemic. This was an era when the "urban renewal" movement was at its most aggressive, and Jacobs correctly perceived that the new structures that were being built to replace the aging housing of our older cities were often far worse, in both their impact on society and their architectural sterility, than what urban planners identified as "the problem." She was ridiculed and pilloried by the establishment, but her ideas quickly took hold, and no one ever looked at what made for livable and viable neighborhoods the same way again.

Here is the first book for young people about this heroine of common sense, a woman who never attended college but whose observations, determination, and independent spirit led her to far different conclusions than those of the academics who surrounded her. Illustrated with almost a hundred images, in­cluding a great number of photos never before published (with many by Robert Otter), this story of a remarkable woman will introduce her ideas and her life to young readers, many of whom have grown up in neighborhoods that were saved by her insights. It will in­spire young people – and readers of all ages – and demonstrate that we learn vital life lessons from observing and thinking, and not just accepting what passes as "conventional wisdom."

From the Reviews

"Written by two Boston women who are also illustrators, Genius of Common Sense is a readable and well-researched biography that succeeds in capturing Jacobs and her world, not only in words but in drawings and period photos. It's promoted as a "book for young readers,'' which it certainly is, but it's better than that. It's the best short introduction yet to the life and work of one of the most influential Americans of her generation."
— Robert Campbell, The Boston Globe

"Jacobs's exemplary life story is well enough told by Glenna Lang and Marjory Wunsch to engage young readers and interest their elders as well."
— Jason Epstein, New York Review of Books

"The theories of Jane Jacobs ... should be in the curriculums of grades 7 and 8, her books should be must-reads in all high schools, and her ideas should be discussed in all colleges and universities. Genius of Common Sense is not only a refreshing concept but also a delightful read ... a little gem of a book...."
— Bernard Poulin, Toronto Globe and Mail

"Genius of Common Sense is an inspiring look at one of the great heroines of New York."
— Robert Caro, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Power Broker

"Jane Jacobs taught the world to see the true value of cities because she had the courage to trust her own experience and common sense. This is an inspiring story, deeply researched and beautifully told."
— Robert Fishman, Professor of Architecture and Planning, University of Michigan

"This book is the cat's pyjamas.  It's the clearest account anywhere of who Jane was, what she did for cities, and how she did it."
— Max Allen, Producer of CBC Radio's Ideas program and editor of Ideas That Matter: The Worlds of Jane Jacobs

"This well-paced, seamlessly co-authored narrative introduces young adult readers to a little known person of great importance, whose visionary ideas changed the way we look at neighborhoods and value city life. The writers' black and white illustrations combined with vintage photographs, maps, and memorabilia give a vivid account of Jane Jacobs that will encourage young people to make observations and think critically."
— Susan Goldman Rubin, Prize-winning author of more than thirty young-adult biographies

"An absorbing story of a woman of genius, leadership, courage and imagination who changed the thinking of the world. Though written for younger readers, older ones also will enjoy reading about this remarkable person whose intellect and battles made American cities more civilized and humane places to live. Her impact was enormous and endures."
— Nicholas von Hoffman, former columnist for the Washington Post and commentator for 60 Minutes

Barack Obama's thoughts on Jane Jacobs' Death & Life of Great American Cities