Bob Steele (1) (1911–2002)

Each of the books in the Urban Tapestry series features a major city from around the world. The book on Harford (capital city of the US state of Connecticut) is a lush, well-illustrated tribute to a city of moderate size and venerable history. At nearly 300 pages, the book is replete with excellent photographs of the city's cultural and social attributes, including government buildings, museums of art and natural history, and the playhouse, as well as tall buildings, businesses, and colleges and universities. It also illustrates neighborhoods, restaurants, churches, clubs, street music, and people of the diverse ethnicities that make up the city. One third of the book focuses on "Profiles of Excellence," namely corporations, businesses, professional groups, and community service organizations that are said to have made the book possible. Each of these is given 1 to 4 pages of photographs plus text that clearly was supplied by the institutions themselves. (I presume that these groups help fund the book, as a subtle form of advertisement).

Understandably, this book presents the most positive view possible of a city that is not exactly free of problems -- reflected in areas of poverty, a shrinking tax base, and a large immigrant population for which sufficient government support is not provided. Having been published in 2000, this book is subtitled "New England Renaissance," an optimistic slogan that has not yet been fulfilled. However, residents of Connecticut, and greater Hartford in particular, will find this work a fine presentation of the city, in particular for its excellent photographs.… (mais)