A Book Review of “Bending the Future: Fifty Ideas for the Next Fifty Years of Historic Preservation in the United States”

Edited by Max Page and Marla R. Miller

Book review written by Valerie J. M. Heider

The National Historic Preservation Act just celebrated its 50th anniversary during October, and it’s prime time to ask: where is historic preservation headed? Why is it important? How does it affect our daily lives?Bending the Future: Fifty Ideas for the Next Fifty Years of Historic Preservation in the United States is a collection of short, essay-style chapters. Max Page and Marla R. Miller, both professors at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, are the editors while the contributors of the content itself are a range of professionals—planners, conservationists, activists, academics, non-profit professionals, historians, and more. The non-fiction collection addresses three thematic areas which are widely discussed and influential in 20th century policy and decision making: social justice, sustainability, and economic diversity. Read more...