If humankind can be said to have a single greatest creation, it would be
those places that represent the most eloquent expression of our
species's ingenuity, beliefs, and ideals: the city. In this
authoritative and engagingly written account, the acclaimed urbanist and
bestselling author examines the evolution of urban life over the
millennia and, in doing so, attempts to answer the age-old question:
What makes a city great?
Despite their infinite variety, all cities essentially serve three
purposes: spiritual, political, and economic. Kotkin follows the
progression of the city from the early religious centers of Mesopotamia,
the Indus Valley, and China to the imperial centers of the Classical
era, through the rise of the Islamic city and the European commercial
capitals, ending with today's post-industrial suburban metropolis.
Despite widespread optimistic claims that cities are "back in style,"
Kotkin warns that whatever their form, cities can thrive only if they
remain sacred, safe, and busy-and this is true for both the increasingly
urbanized developing world and the often self-possessed "global cities"
of the West and East Asia.
Looking at cities in the twenty-first century, Kotkin discusses the
effects of developments such as shifting demographics and emerging
technologies. He also considers the effects of terrorism-how the
religious and cultural struggles of the present pose the greatest
challenge to the urban future.
Truly global in scope, The City is a timely narrative that will
place Kotkin in the company of Lewis Mumford, Jane Jacobs, and other
preeminent urban scholars.
