“When organizations are empowered to do as they damn well please,” said William H. Whyte, “the temptation is strong for them to do just that.” Whyte is most famous for his book “The Organization Man,” but his most lasting legacy may be his insights on urban planning.

Since Richard K. Rein retired from U.S. 1, the newspaper he founded, he has been working on his biography of Whyte, published this month by Island Press. He will speak at the Princeton Public Library on Thursday, January 13 at 7 p.m.

Some reviews are in. Anthony Paletta, in a review for he American Conservative, suggests that Whyte succeeded “by not allowing organization or ideology to get in the way of ideas. Publisher’s Weekly called Rein’s book “a welcome tribute to a visionary thinker.”

I worked for Rein at U.S. 1 Newspaper, and I am eager to get the book and hear what he says about it. Since in-person places will likely be gone, you can register for the livestream here. See you online. . .