The American Porch: An Informal History of an Informal Place by Michael Dolan

From the Publisher

Like the pivotal clue in a Conan Doyle story, the American porch hides itself in plain sight. But it is a national treasure, one that has long awaited the attention of a fine writer like Michael Dolan. In careful, spirited prose, Dolan relates the colorful and surprising history of the porch, starting with the ancient Greeks. George Washington makes his appearance, as Dolan describes how the amateur architect and nation builder may have happened upon a porch in Barbados and brought the concept back to Mount Vernon. But the story is far older and more complex than that, and since those days the porch's popularity has risen and fallen and risen again. Dolan shows how the porch evolved into an icon of Americana, from plantation days to the new urbanism. Dolan's narrative isn't purely intellectual. He revived the front porch on his house in his hometown of Washington, D.C., designing and overseeing construction of a classic four-pillared porch to grace his 1926 bungalow, complete with lacquered ceiling, overhead fan, and restored metal glider. The story of that porch's decay and restoration not only inspired the book but serves as a touchstone in the author's story as well. (6 x 9, 352 pages, color photos)Michael Dolan has written for The New Yorker, Slate, Outside, The New York Times Magazine, The Washington Post, and other publications. His documentary script and production credits include many television programs aired by National Geographic Explorer and the Discovery Channel. He lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife and son.

Publishers Weekly

Journalist Dolan's first book describes the development and significance of this durable American symbol of "small-r republican, small-d democratic openness." It turns out that the porch has a diverse lineage, with roots in Mediterranean Europe, West Africa, the Caribbean and India, and a bewildering variety of terms for ancestral or related structures. Indeed, the subject may be too diffuse and elusive for Dolan's approach-an intermediary space between interior and exterior appears to be such a basic element of tropical architecture that one could as easily write a history of the window or the door. It takes a while for Dolan to warm up to his subject, and the early chapters are studded with uneasy speculation and irrelevant byways. Dolan is on surer ground once he reaches the United States-his anecdotes cohere into a narrative, and his analysis of the significance of the porch is more persuasive. Dolan amply demonstrates that the porch is primarily a means of escaping the heat and, almost as important, a locus for casual social interaction. The 19th century was the Golden Age of the American Porch. As Dolan glumly notes, the disappearance of the outhouse and the advent of the automobile were among the factors that caused the front porch to fall into disfavor, almost to complete extinction, during the suburban 20th century. The good news for Dolan and his confreres is that the porch is making an unanticipated comeback. B&w illus.; 32 pages color illus. not seen by PW. (Nov.) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal

In this delightful look at an American icon, journalist and documentary scriptwriter and producer Dolan traces the history of the porch, using this history to explore subjects such as architecture, history, slavery, colonialism, trade, anthropology, sociology, consumer behavior, and publishing. He begins with an account of remodeling his own front porch and then takes us on an irreverent yet informative tour of the development of the porch, from its origins in ancient Greece and Rome, Africa and India, with stops along the way in Brazil, the Caribbean, Renaissance Italy, Georgian England, and Colonial America. From there, he charts the rise, decline, fall, and reemergence of the porch in America, from Greek revival architecture to plantation culture, from Victorian bungalows to suburban ranch homes, from front porch conversation to air conditioning and television, and from Modernism to the New Urbanism. Throughout, the author supplements his own research by calling upon an impressive array of authorities. Considering the book's accessibility, the amount and quality of its coverage, and the current lack of comparable titles, this is highly recommended for both academic and public libraries.-M.C. Duhig, Lib. Ctr. of Point Park Coll. & Carnegie Lib., Pittsburgh Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Product Details

• Table of Contents

Table of Contents