On October 9th, the District 11 Book Club will discuss Tom Standage’s 2021 book, A Brief History of Motion: From the Wheel to the Car to What Comes Next, published by Bloomsbury Publishing.
In his New York Times review of Standage's book, Simon Winchester writes, “Shopping malls, gas stations, drive-ins — and redlining, Robert Moses, urban blight, white flight — all were born of this utopia turned dystopia, and Standage writes with a masterly clarity before turning his attention, as need dictates, to the topic of Our Automotive Future.”
While transportation fueled Madison’s growth, it also brought significant challenges to the city. Joining the book club discussion will be Tom Lynch, the City of Madison's Transportation Director, who will share insights into the city's transportation history and its current challenges. Director Lynch will give a brief presentation on Madison’s transportation milestones, starting with the arrival of the first train in 1854, the electric streetcar in 1892, and the automobile in 1901. The rise of the automobile, combined with the National Housing Act of 1934 and the Federal Highway Act of 1956, contributed to suburbanization, urban sprawl, and parking issues. Today, Madison is working to address these challenges through citywide initiatives like Vision Zero, Complete Green Streets, and the new Bus Rapid Transit system.
Pick up or borrow a copy of A Brief History of Motion and join District 11 Alder Bill Tishler, Tom Lynch, and others for a lively discussion at the Sequoya Library on Wednesday, October 9th, at 7:00 PM. A limited number of free copies will be available at the "Ask Desk" on a first-come, first-served basis. This casual, public event is open to everyone, and even if you haven't finished the book, you're encouraged to attend and join in the conversation!