Alan Steinfeld - Air date: 12-11-07

"This is the only video I could find on Youtube that includes a quote from Lewis Mumford."

A sign of the times? I was looking for Lewis Mumford footage. I know there is some around, whithering away in the archives I guess. To me Lewis Mumford is the greatest American that ever lived.

Try to put up some Mumford videos if you can. I'd be happy to view them and make a comment or two.

As for ranking his greatness amongst Americans, well you may be right in terms of American born, but in terms of American citizens I'd lean slightly more toward Nikola Tesla.

I have posted a short clip from a documentary narrated by Lewis Mumford. The description contains a link to a fuller version of it.

I hope Harold and Gloria don't balk at me for using the video comments in this way.

Can you tell me a little bit about Lewis Mumford? He seems to be the source of a lot of what became the New Age.

Mumford was a generalist in an age of specialists. He grew up in New York City and began writing in about 1920, his works tend to focus on the relationship between man and technics, among other revelations he points out that artistic, playful, and religious uses of technological advances precede their utilitarian applications. He is worth a closer look.

What is a good book of Mumford, particularly about the artist.
I have The Human Prospect.

Thanks

Although I can't claim to be an expert on Mumford, and his works are somewhat hard to find, my favourite is "The Myth of The Machine: II. The Pentagon of Power." However, you may find his book "Art and Technics" more interesting.