Scan barcode
A review by readwithev
The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York by Robert A. Caro
challenging
informative
slow-paced
4.25
Caro offers so many details not just about Robert Moses, but the people he knew, his rivals, his defeats, and his victories. Caro offers an empathetic view of Robert Moses the man and the builder. We see some of Moses' redeeming qualities - his intelligence, his motivation, his relentlessness, and his creativity; however, the author also documents Moses' hot temper, arrogance, uncompromising attitude, and disregard for other ideas.
The first thing I feel is missing from the book are more details about Moses' personal life. Caro hints at difficulties with his first wife, his often busy schedule that interrupted family time, and his estrangement from his older brother. I chalk this up to Moses' privacy and unwillingness to conduct personal interviews. I believe an element of his power and prestige rests partly on being mysterious.
The second and most important element I think is missing are interviews with families and residents who were displaced by Moses' highway, slum clearning, park, and bridge projects. There are a few testimonials and quotes, but I would have liked a final chapter to conclude the impact of his projects on low-income people and neighborhoods of color. He appropriated land under the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, cleared slums without providing adaquate rehouse resources, and did not fairly reimburse people for their farm land. What happened to those families? How were New York's neighborhoods forever changed 10 - 20 yrs after the bridges or parks were built?
Also, what long term impact did Moses' massive investments in bridges, parks, etc. have on other departments? I would have appreciated a conclusion paragraph or chapter. He convinced Mayors and Govenors to divert funds to his projects instead of schools, hospitals, fire stations, water treatment etc. How did this affect residents later? Did the city ever re-evaluate their spending on these projects once Rockefeller ousted him?
Overall, I enjoyed the book and I appreciate the complexities behind city/urban planning.
The first thing I feel is missing from the book are more details about Moses' personal life. Caro hints at difficulties with his first wife, his often busy schedule that interrupted family time, and his estrangement from his older brother. I chalk this up to Moses' privacy and unwillingness to conduct personal interviews. I believe an element of his power and prestige rests partly on being mysterious.
The second and most important element I think is missing are interviews with families and residents who were displaced by Moses' highway, slum clearning, park, and bridge projects. There are a few testimonials and quotes, but I would have liked a final chapter to conclude the impact of his projects on low-income people and neighborhoods of color. He appropriated land under the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, cleared slums without providing adaquate rehouse resources, and did not fairly reimburse people for their farm land. What happened to those families? How were New York's neighborhoods forever changed 10 - 20 yrs after the bridges or parks were built?
Also, what long term impact did Moses' massive investments in bridges, parks, etc. have on other departments? I would have appreciated a conclusion paragraph or chapter. He convinced Mayors and Govenors to divert funds to his projects instead of schools, hospitals, fire stations, water treatment etc. How did this affect residents later? Did the city ever re-evaluate their spending on these projects once Rockefeller ousted him?
Overall, I enjoyed the book and I appreciate the complexities behind city/urban planning.