About this ebook
Sir Herbert Brown Ames was one of the first to recognize that urbanization was inevitable and to set about improving the quality of city life. In this study, first published in book form in 1897, he moves towards the concept of urban ecology—the city is an organism defined by, and expressing itself in, a myriad of social and economic phenomena. As an organic whole its well-being depends upon the well-being of all its citizens. Within this pioneering work are the seeds of the town planning and social welfare movements that later tried to change the urban landscape.
The city below the hill is crammed with facts and statistical analyses of late nineteenth century urban workers. A landmark in the development of urban consciousness in Canada and of sociological research, it is one of the first major efforts to solve problems that are still with us.
About the author
Sir Herbert Brown Ames, 1863-1954, a progressive businessman and social reformer, was a Montreal alderman from 1898 to 1906, a Conservative MP from 1904 to 1920, and later a Canadian delegate to the League of Nations.
Paul Rutherford is Professor Emeritus in the Department of History at the University of Toronto. He is the author of several books published by UTP, including When Television Was Young (1990), The New Icons? (1994), Endless Propaganda (2000), Weapons of Mass Persuasion (2004), and World Made Sexy (2007).
