Book · 2001 · Environmentalism
The Bulldozer in the Countryside
Suburban Sprawl and the Rise of American Environmentalism
Why people recommend it
The Bulldozer in the Countryside by Adam Rome is an environmental history examining how the modern American environmental movement emerged largely as a grassroots reaction against the sweeping post-war transformation of the urban core and natural landscapes. Jerusalem Demsus discussed the book on The Ezra Klein Show during an episode titled A $1.7 Million Toilet and Liberalism's Failure to Build, which aired on April 16, 2024. Demsus recommended the text for its deep insights into the origins of American environmentalism, pointing out how the author situates the rise of environmental consciousness directly within the context of physical changes happening to cities and suburbs during that era. By bringing up this work, Demsus provided listeners with historical context on why opposition to development and alterations in the built environment became such a prominent feature of American political and regulatory life, helping to explain the roots of modern legislative battles over construction, preservation, and urban planning.
Who recommended it
- Jerusalem Demsus Recommended
Jerusalem Demsus — 1 mention
“and then there's bulldozer in the Countryside by Adam Rome it's another really great book about environmentalism and really kind of situates environmentalism in the United States as coming up as a reaction to changes in the urban core”