sannermatt 's review for:

A Clearing in the Distance: Frederick Law Olmsted and America in the 19th Century by Witold Rybczynski

---

Frederick Law Olmsted basically created the profession of landscape architecture, finally finding for himself a profession where he could thrive. His vision was remarkable — he designed parks throughout North America that provide rest and relaxation for millions of people today. He looked far ahead, not focusing on what something was in the present, but what it would become forty years down the road. Of all the parks he designed, I’ve only visited one: Mount Royal in Montreal, Canada. I hope to visit many more, especially Central Park.

One of my favorite proverbs, one that could be said of Olmsted literally— and one I hope to live by metaphorically — goes as follows:

“A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit.”