"Transforming the Irvine Ranch: The Big Plan is a must read for anyone interested in local community planning, California history, and American real estate development. The authors provide a thorough, thoughtful, and behind-the-scenes account of the birth of a major city, university, and foundation that have had profound impacts on the people of California."
- Mark Baldassare, President and CEO, Public Policy Institute of California
"Transforming the Irvine Ranch: The Big Plan combines memoir, oral history, and in-depth research to show how big personalities and bigger ambitions propelled Irvine from ranchland to metropolis. Innovative urban planning, corporate infighting, and expansion of Californias university system are part of this fascinating story. Essential for real estate professionals and anyone who cares about the future of California."
- D. J. Waldie, author of Becoming Los Angeles: Myth, Memory, and a Sense of Place
"In Transforming the Irvine Ranch, [ Oliver and Stockstill] lay out in highly readable form the history of this most successful, and epoch-shaping developments. There may be no other place with the resources and locational advantages of the Ranch, but there are many lessons to be learned by the next generation of planners and developers."
- Joel Kotkin, author of The Human City: Urbanism for the Rest of Us
For devotees of new towns, Pike Oliver and Michael Stockstills book, Transforming the Irvine Ranch: Joan Irvine, William Pereira, Ray Watson, and the Big Plan, is a must read. The book is a compelling, entertaining, and very accessible account of the beginnings and history of Irvine (CA), one of the United States pre-eminent new towns not only enjoyable and hard to put down but also a unique insiders perspective of what it takes to build a new town.
- Richard Peiser, Harvard University, USA "Transforming the Irvine Ranch: The Big Plan is a must read for anyone interested in local community planning, California history, and American real estate development. The authors provide a thorough, thoughtful, and behind-the-scenes account of the birth of a major city, university, and foundation that have had profound impacts on the people of California."
- Mark Baldassare, President and CEO, Public Policy Institute of California
"Transforming the Irvine Ranch: The Big Plan combines memoir, oral history, and in-depth research to show how big personalities and bigger ambitions propelled Irvine from ranchland to metropolis. Innovative urban planning, corporate infighting, and expansion of Californias university system are part of this fascinating story. Essential for real estate professionals and anyone who cares about the future of California."
- D. J. Waldie, author of Becoming Los Angeles: Myth, Memory, and a Sense of Place
"In Transforming the Irvine Ranch, [ Oliver and Stockstill] lay out in highly readable form the history of this most successful, and epoch-shaping developments. There may be no other place with the resources and locational advantages of the Ranch, but there are many lessons to be learned by the next generation of planners and developers."
- Joel Kotkin, author of The Human City: Urbanism for the Rest of Us
For devotees of new towns, Pike Oliver and Michael Stockstills book, Transforming the Irvine Ranch: Joan Irvine, William Pereira, Ray Watson, and the Big Plan, is a must read. The book is a compelling, entertaining, and very accessible account of the beginnings and history of Irvine (CA), one of the United States pre-eminent new towns not only enjoyable and hard to put down but also a unique insiders perspective of what it takes to build a new town.
- Richard Peiser, Harvard University, USA
