The Enduring Genius of Frederick Law Olmsted

By: Adam Rome, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Adam Rome

Can a 19th-century landscape architect help us address the sustainability challenges of our time? If we’re talking about Frederick Law Olmsted, the genius behind Central Park, the grounds of the U.S. Capitol, and other iconic green spaces, then the answer’s a resounding yes.

In The Enduring Genius of Frederick Law Olmsted, you’ll learn about the iconic landscape architect’s incredible life—and ponder his incredible legacy. You’ll explore his work as a designer of some breathtaking natural landscapes (as well as some of the painful failures he had to endure along the way). You’ll also consider Olmsted’s efforts to address the momentous challenges of his century, including the Civil War, and the vital role he played in the most transformative period in American history.

How can people, entrenched in a highly mobile and individualistic society, develop a solid sense of community? How can we grow our cities without destroying the environment around them? What ideas offer a rock-solid foundation for sustainable communities and civilizations?

Frederick Law Olmsted knew. And now, with this Audible Original, so will you.

©2022 Audible Originals, LLC (P)2022 Audible Originals, LLC

Great content, great delivery

This has great content and great delivery. Talks about how society got where it is and how it can improve

An Enduring Genius, Indeed

The man was far, far ahead of his time, and so very much more than the builder of Central Park. A very short, extremely sweet listen delivered by the author, replete with historical context. Restores faith in the power of good work, and great works

Great listen!

I love the author’s enthusiasm and contagious enjoyment of Olmsted and his work. I was amazed to learn that it was Olmsted’s visionary thoughts about conservation and what humans need to thrive in urban environments was the inspiration for Central Park and so many other green spaces in our cities. Loved this book!

Interesting and informative.

I enjoyed the perspective of these lectures . The content was presented cohesively and in chronological order.

Interesting and impressive

Short and sweet story of a great man who created enduring treasures and set standards for the benefit of all.

Fact Checking

I have only just started the book and now have to decide if I should finish it. Central Park in NY the FIRST park in the US!! How about Boston Commons in 1634! With a quick search Central Park doesn’t even make top 8 oldest parks. So here is a book with a fact so simple to check fact yet so wrong…makes me wonder about other facts.

Great read

Gave me a new look on Olmsted and community involvement in protecting and growing our environment

Highly recommend! Powerful series of lectures

Excellent! Timely and critical information about the life work and historic writing of a gifted individual whose theories on the role of government, public space, public good, land management and the sociology and economics of human labor informed his professional mission.
His writing re above, (given they were done during the civil war, slavery, industrialization of the north and the gold rush) also give crucial insight our county’s long standing political and philosophical polarization.
Before listening I assumed the talks would be on the aesthetic of landscaping.
Afterwards I knew I had been introduced to a highly gifted individual whose global thinking and public projects anticipated almost every crisis we now face on planet earth.

Why Olmsted inspires conservationists and city sustainability experts

Olmsted was a pragmatic innovative Genius that envisioned the future and created lasting spaces for generations to come. Balancing public and private partnerships, ecological designs and the public good does take a Genius. Thor blend of history and how to inspires me in 2022 as a volunteer and a concerned citizen.

Inspiring

Can I give this six stars? An amazing lecture series, gets to the heart of Olmsted’s achievement, with provocative insights that resonate in so many contexts today. Doesn’t talk down to the listener. What a pleasure!