The four historic Boston geographical areas of Back Bay, the Public Garden, Boston Common, and Downtown Boston each have something interesting to relate about the development and history of this courageous city. It was Boston that led the charge for independence more than two hundred years ago-and the city never lost its spirit. It has evolved into an oasis of culture, a first-class center for higher education, technology, and medical innovation, and a business citadel.

These are but a few of the many contexts in which author Alan Balsam examines this pivotal city. In this new collection of essays about the architecture, natural environment, history, and culture of Boston, Balsam uses these two neighborhoods and two parks to show the city's true soul. His essays focus on

• the spirit of the 1976 American bicentennial celebrations,
• Boston's early history from precolonial times
• the beginnings of the American Revolution,
• his personal journeys through the various neighborhoods and parks,
• the natural life in each locale,
• the architecture of Boston and preservation of historical landmarks
• the building renaissance in Downtown Boston

around the time of the bicentennial

• the spirit and the beauty of the city.

Balsam structures his work around the four seasons, emphasizing recurring rhythms and constant movement of the city itself, always leading toward the next phase. At the same time, just like the changing of the seasons, everything cycles back to the beginning-as Boston continually renews itself.