Chronicles the story of the scheme carried out by John De Voe and a man named Lozier in 1824 to "save" to city of New York from sinking into the harbor, recreating the atmosphere of the time and speculating about the reasons for this hoax.
The only compact yet comprehensive survey of environmental and cultural forces that have shaped the visual character and geographical diversity of the settled American landscape. The book examines the large-scale historical influences that have molded the varied human adaptation of the continent’s physical topography to its needs over more than 500 years. It presents a synoptic view of myriad historical processes working together or in conflict, and illustrates them through their survival in or disappearance from the everyday landscapes of today.