English Heritage, a British governmental Commission, presents the story of the Garden City initiative in turn of the 20th century England. It establishes the historical backdrop and converging social movements which gave rise to the initiative which sought to establish communities with the infrastructural benefits of a city and the countryside's healthful attenuation to nature. Key figures, such as utopian pragmatist Ebenezer Howard, are introduced and the architecture, planning, and execution of several notable cities are detailed. The social and spiritual movements associated with the communities are also explored along with issues of conservation and adaptation in the midst of modern encroachments. Discussion of the influence of the Garden Cities on contemporary urban planning is included as well. Current and historical photographs, hand-drawn maps, and vintage planning documents complement the text. Distributed in North America by The David Brown Book Co. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)