Tag Archives: books

The Death and Life Of Great American Cities, Part III: In the third part, Jacobs tries to look at the evolutionary cycle of cities, and in particular at how the same forces that create great neighborhoods can also destroy them.

This entry covers Part II of Jane Jacob’s classic book, which focuses on the ingredients necessary to promote diversity in a city. I wrote about Part I in an earlier post.

Spin, by Robert Charles Wilson shunn gave this to me, saying it was one of the best SF novels of last year, and I have to wholeheartedly agree. At one level it’s a fascinating story that shows a (relatively) realistic … Continue reading →

This classic book — by the woman who fought Robert Moses and won — should be required reading in American history classes. With clear-eyed writing and an impatient sense of humor she discusses the idiocy of modern urban planning, comparing … Continue reading →