Michael Kimmelman is that rare creature: a much-admired critic incapable of writing an unstylish sentence who also happens to be a damn good reporter. He became the chief art critic for The New York Times at an impossibly young age, and then, based in Berlin, covered politics and culture in Europe and the Middle East for several years. Since 2011, Kimmelman has been the paper’s architecture critic, where he has brilliantly expanded that job’s traditional portfolio to explore climate change, social justice, and what it means to be a community.
In his new book, The Intimate City, Kimmelman explores a score of New York City neighborhoods, always with a knowledgeable companion in tow to share expertise and bat around ideas. The reader feels like the luckiest of eavesdroppers, whether sitting in a comfortable chair or retracing the steps of Kimmelman, beautifully illustrated book in hand.
