City of American Dreams

“The history of home ownership in the United States is enshrouded in myths about American national character and middle class aspirations. Margaret Garb’s important book cuts through the fog of nostalgia. Through an original and well-written case study of Chicago, Garb shows how workers and reformers contested notions of property rights and housing policy. City of American Dreams makes a persuasive argument that home ownership was not a leveler of class distinctions but rather it reinforced economic and racial inequalities with enduring consequences.”--Thomas J. Sugrue, author of Origins of the Urban Crisis

“Margaret Garb’s City of American Dreams connects home ownership to urban design in Chicago between 1871 and 1919. This beautifully written book explores housing policy in terms of both public health and private investment, showing the importance of housing design for attitudes to family, gender, race, and public life. This is a compelling work of urban history that should also be of interest to architects and planners.”--Dolores Hayden, author of Building Suburbia

“This is an original, provocative, and stimulating book that will be of interest to current and former residents of the Chicago area. A truly interdisciplinary work, it not only makes an important contribution to the field of urban history, but also speaks to issues in labor, legal, and African American history. Garb presents a new and convincing approach to the meaning of home ownership for working class Americans.”--Gail Radford, author of Modern Housing for America