There used to be a political party in Canada called the progressive conservatives. Dennis Rodwell's book reminds me of the deceptively oxymoronic name of this party in the sense that it is deeply respectful of legacy, tradition and the conservation of what is best, and yet it somehow marries these values with a progressive approach to sustaining historic cities and it does it in a very pragmatic manner. Dennis Rodwell's overarching thesis for the book is that conservation as a well established architectural practice must be guided by principles of sustainability. It must be based on the three pillars of sustainability, concern for economic, social and environmental values, if it is to be effective as well as retain public support in the future. Guided by these values as well as by his experience and pragmatism, Dennis Rodwell seeks to develop living, evolving, and multi-functional urbanscapes.

Rodwell begins his book by thoroughly addressing the historical evolution of and semantic issues around such terms as conservation, heritage, preservation, restoration, authenticity, and sustainability; the meanings of which mutate so swiftly primarily because they are essentially political terms. He then proceeds to explain the tension between bottom up and top down approaches to conservation of historic cities, and while he leans toward bottom up approaches, he recognizes the value of strategic planning in many instances. He cites successes in France at the national level and the City level, with a particular focus on Paris and the Loi Malraux. Addressing the international perspective, he discusses the increasing international emphasis on 'integrity' as a broad value encompassing functional as much as artistic and material continuity. Consequently, he claims we must take an anthropological approach to heritage and we must value creative continuity. Vilnius and Dubrovnik are used as examples.

Several subsequent chapters are dedicated to more detailed examples of success stories and failures with a focus on Edinburgh, Bath and Derby in the UK, on Paris, and on many eastern European cities that are used to illustrate and expand his ideas. He points out what does and what does not work. He also makes it clear that there is some ground to be made up in the UK in comparison with the rest of Europe. Worldwide, he cites UNESCO as a leader in many successful efforts.

Overall, this book is an enjoyable and persuasive read. It is full of good photographs, it is well structured, and its bibliography and index are very well developed. It seems geared to a general audience of planners, politicians and interested lay people. A few maps, plans and diagrams would have helped to substantiate the arguments and provide more balance to the book, but that is a quibble. Permeating the book is Rodwell's quiet confidence and sense of humanity. The style is gentle and persistent and the reader is not hectored with ideology. I strongly recommend the book.

Carl Haas

University of Waterloo