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Triumph Of The City: How Our Greatest Invention Makes Us Richer, Smarter, Greener, Healthier, And Happier (2011)

by Edward L. Glaeser(Favorite Author)

3.85 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

159420277X (ISBN13: 9781594202773)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Penguin Press HC, The

review 1: Read for work-based book club. Not bad overall. The author has some strongly held opinions, some of which are hard to agree with. He is prone to the common economist trap that he fails to consider people's emotions in many of his assessments. For example: a family of 4 might have more money in pocket at the end of the month if they lived in Houston vs. Queens, but if they already live in NYC, they're probably not looking at Houston. Also, most people look for the job first and then the housing. I also felt that a lot of his advice for developing countries assumed that they were just like Western countries; some of his advice was probably fine, but some of it seemed, again, to ignore cultural habits.
review 2: Great book on how cities grow and develop and change... more. Lots of theories on what makes a city successful and what makes them fail. I thought the author was fairly objective, he's an economist but doesn't seem to be an extremist. He thinks fewer restrictions on development are good but also acknowledges areas where effective government works best (providing clean water for example).The chapters on how green and environmentally friendly cities are (versus lower-density human habitation) accompany Whole Earth Manifesto well.Lots to think about in regards to Winnipeg, too, and just today there's an article in the Free Press about opposition to a proposed 24-story condo complex along Waterfront. less

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