Triumph of the City: How Our Greatest Invention Makes Us Richer, Smarter, Greener, Healthier, and Happier - Softcover

Glaeser, Edward

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0143120549 ISBN 13: 9780143120544

Publisher: Penguin Books, 2012

Synopsis

A pioneering urban economist presents a myth-shattering look at the majesty and greatness of cities

America is an urban nation, yet cities get a bad rap: they're dirty, poor, unhealthy, environmentally unfriendly . . . or are they? In this revelatory book, Edward Glaeser, a leading urban economist, declares that cities are actually the healthiest, greenest, and richest (in both cultural and economic terms) places to live. He travels through history and around the globe to reveal the hidden workings of cities and how they bring out the best in humankind. Using intrepid reportage, keen analysis, and cogent argument, Glaeser makes an urgent, eloquent case for the city's importance and splendor, offering inspiring proof that the city is humanity's greatest creation and our best hope for the future.

"A masterpiece."—Steven D. Levitt, coauthor of Freakonomics

"Bursting with insights."—The New York Times Book Review

About this title

About the Author:

Edward L. Glaeser is the Fred and Eleanor Glimp Professor of Economics at Harvard University. He studies the economics of cities, housing, segregation, obesity, crime, innovation and other subjects, and writes about many of these issues for Economix. He serves as the director of the Taubman Center for State and Local Government and the Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston. He is also a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 1992.

From Booklist:

Glaesers academic specialty, urban economics, informs his survey of how cities around the world thrive and wither. Using a range of expository formshistory, biography, economic research, and personal storyhe defines what makes a city successful. That changes through time, and a flourishing Industrial Age model may not work in the service-age economy, as rust-belt towns like Detroit have learned. One thing constantly attracts people to one city rather than anotherhow much housing construction is permitted. Restrictive places, such as New York City, coastal California, and Paris, have a tight housing supply with prices only the wealthy can afford. Hence, middle-class people move to the suburbs or cities like Houston. Other features of metropolisestheir incidences of poverty and crime, traffic congestion, quality of schools, and cultural amenitiesalso figure in Glaesers analysis. Whatever the city under discussion, Mumbai or Woodlands, Texas, Glaeser is discerning and independent; for example, he believes that historic preservation isnt an unalloyed good and that bigger, denser cities militate against global warming. Thought-provoking material for urban-affairs students. --Gilbert Taylor

About this edition

• Publisher: Penguin Books
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 0143120549
• ISBN 13: 9780143120544
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 368