Washington D. C.: Past and Present

This is a fascinating book. Page after page of "before-and-after" photos comparing old time "Washington" to modern-day "DC." The book covers the four quadrants of the city (NW, NE, SW and SE), as well as many suburban areas (once self-contained communities which have been swallowed up by the metropolis that modern-day Washington has become). As a native, I was surprised at how many of the "before" shots were familiar -- and the flood of bittersweet memories those "before" pictures brought back in terms of how dramatically Washington has changed in just the past 30 to 40 years -- not to mention the past 130 years, which is how long ago some of the "before" pictures were taken. As this book proves, in many cases the changes have been for the better: poor neighborhoods rehabilitated; ghettos replaced by substantial housing; cowpaths paved; a much-improved Potomac riverside; etc. In other cases the changes are simply heartbreaking: the once highly livable Southwest area of the city demolished and replaced by, frankly, some of the most hideous architecture and freeway systems imaginable; the once inhabitable downtown area of Rockville replaced by concrete "bunkers" of remarkable ugliness; streets once full of people and shops giving way to block after block of monotonous office buildings. It's almost impossible to remember that Tysons Corner, Rosslyn, College Park, Upper Northwest, Chevy Chase, and many other bustling metro areas were once charming (dare I say "sleepy?") little bergs. It's also sort of humorous to note that such highly congested areas as the "intersection" of Lee Highway and Route 66 (in East Falls Church, Virginia) were equally "congested" way back in 1898 (albeit with horses and buggys instead of cars, vans and 4-wheel drive vehicles)! In any event -- and whether or not one feels the changes have been for the better or the worse -- all of the photos are top-notch, and Mr. Penczer has painstakingly based the "after" pictures on the originals. A million dollars worth of memories for a mere $19.95 -- go get it!!