Students of urban anthropology (Anthropology 394) may find two new publications on Jane Jacobs of interest.  Jane Jacobs was an American urbanist whose ideas shaped and continue to shape urban design and urban studies. In honor of her influence many North American cities hold annual events called "Jane's Walk" which introduce their citizens to aspects of urban infrastructure that Jane believed were profoundly important to city dwellers.

Vital Little Plans: The Short Works of Jane Jacobs (Random House Canada, 2016) is a new anthology of essays, articles, speeches and interviews by the late Jane Jacobs.  Edited by Samuel Zipp and Nathan Storring the book covers seven decades of her career as a thinker and provides new perspectives on her evolving interest in urban issues.

Eyes On the Street: The Life of Jane Jacobs (Knopf, 2016) by Robert Kanigel is a comprehensive biography which explores important details of her personality and the development of her intellect and evolving interest in the American cityscape.

These 2 publications were reviewed by Alex Bozikovic in the Globe and Mail on Friday, October 7, 2016.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/book-reviews/review-vital-little-plans-and-robert-kanigels-eyes-on-the-street-demonstrate-the-enduring-influence-of-jane-jacobs/article32282675/