Amy D. Finstein, assistant professor of architectural history in the visual arts department at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, was recently honored with the 2021 Fred B. Kniffen Book Award for her new book, Modern Mobility Aloft: Elevated Highways, Architecture, and Urban Change in Pre-Interstate America (Temple University Press, 2020).
The award, sponsored by the International Society for Landscape, Place and Material Culture Studies, encourages and recognizes books by authors regarding North American material culture, such as objects and architecture. Named for renowned geographer Fred Kniffen, the prize is granted annually for the best book in the field published within two years of the award.
Dr. Finstein, who joined Holy Cross in 2017 as a visiting lecturer, teaches modern architectural and urban history. Her research focuses on how the desire to be “modern” has inspired diverse designs — ranging from high-style modern residences to Art Deco elevated highways.
In addition to the Fred B. Kniffen Book Award, Dr. Finstein’s book also received honorable mention for the Kenneth Jackson Award for the best book in North American urban history from the Urban History Association.
Dr. Finstein is a graduate of Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts where she majored in American studies. She holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in architectural history from the University of Virginia.