CITIES

What makes a city a good place for people to live?

Projections are that in just over 25 years, most people—perhaps 7 billion of us—will be urbanites. How can cities handle pollution (including emissions), the climate crisis, and waste? How can they encourage the perfect “Goldilocks” midsize neighborhood? How can they provide safety, mobility, green space, community, acceptance, and healthy air, water, and food? This engaging, accessible book will spark discussions of these and other questions. Frequently addressing readers directly, and inviting their imaginative participation through “If You Lived in...” features, the text covers a great deal of ground, from the earliest cities through the present day and into the future. Chapters focus on urban design, transportation, water and waste, energy, and food. Sidebars offer fascinating tidbits—for instance, that in London, there is roughly the same number of trees as people and that in ancient Rome, public toilets were a communal affair. Copious examples are drawn from cities on six continents and throughout history. A final visionary page is a good jumping-off place for conversations about the ideal city. The ebullient double-page-spread visuals burst with colorful photos, diagrams, graphics, and vignettes full of bright-eyed people who are diverse in race and ability. Images are historically accurate and effectively labeled.

A thought-provoking guide to the past, present, and future of cities.