Pittsburgh, Then and Now

I bought this book as a Christmas gift for my grandfather who grew up and lived most of his life in Pittsburgh. The photos are gorgeous, big, clear and it's neat that they took the same picture decades later. The descriptions of why things were designed one way or why they changed, etc. are interesting to "normal" people, not just archetects or city planners. My grandfather reads some of it every night and loves it.

I have been to Pittsburgh and enjoyed the marvels of the Steel City. This book pays tribute to the city's past and present in the form of now and then pictures. It showcases all the changes through the years. A good book to look at if you live in Pittsburgh or perhaps planning a visit!

This book is great for anyone who is a diehard Pittsburgh fan! Photos were great and well displayed. Is there a second edition?

This book places Pittsburgh as it was then on the left pages, and as it is now (although not quite up to date) on the right hand pages. I found it fascinating. There were many names I found from old Pittsburgh that have been used in the city since I can remember - and without this book perhaps I would not be able to clarify how they came to be used. Great resource for anyone who is a Pittsburgh architectural history lover. The Pittsburgh History and Landmark Foundation does a great job with all the books they publish/publicize. For more about Pittsburgh in book form, go to their website[...]Pittsburgh is a great city that has a lot of valuable architecture, and fortunately, a lot of it has been saved thanks to organizations like Pittsburgh History and Landmarks. This book is definitely worth buying.

Note well: this book is NOT the popular coffee table book of the same name: PITTSBURGH THEN AND NOW by Professor Arthur Smith (University of Pittsburgh Press, 1990). I was confused when I bought my copy. The original book is larger in format and offers more content (350 pages to 144). But while the 1990 book offers black-and-white images, this new version places the black-and-white vintage photos on the left side of the spread, and brilliant full-color contempary photos on the right side. Very nice. Author Walter C. Kidney is the historian for nonprofit Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation. He does an excellent job of photo selection. I also like his captions, which are longer and more informative than the 1990 book. Finally, this is a great price for a quality picture book, but my heart sinks to see that it was printed in China, not Pittsburgh, or anywhere USA.