The Human Citypresents the most cogent, evidence-based and clear-headed exposition of the pro-suburban argument. . . . enriching our understanding of what cities are about and what they can and must become. Wall Street JournalAround the globe, most new urban development has adhered to similar tenets: tall structures, small units, and high density. In The Human City, Joel Kotkincalled Americas uber-geographer by David Brooks of the
New York Timesquestions these nearly ubiquitous practices, suggesting that they do not consider the needs and desires of the vast majority of people. Built environments, Kotkin argues, must reflect the preferences of most peopleeven if that means lower-density development.
The Human Cityponders the purpose of the city and investigates the factors that drive most urban development today. Armed with his own astute research, a deep-seated knowledge of urban history, and a sound grasp of economic, political, and social trends, Kotkin pokes holes in what he calls the retro-urbanist ideology and offers a refreshing case for dispersion centered on human values.This book is not anti-urban, but it does advocate a greater range of options for people to live the way they want at all stages of their lives.
Praise for Joel Kotkin’sThe Human City: Urbanism for the Rest of Us
“[Kotkin] weaves an impressive array of original observations about cities into his arguments, enriching our understanding of what cities are about and what they can and must become.” —Shlomo Angel,Wall Street Journal
“Kotkin argues that suburbs are where middle-class families want to live. . . . A city hostile to the middle class is, in Kotkin’s view, a sea hostile to fish.” —Alexander Nazaryan,Newsweek
“[The] kinds of places that are getting it right . . . we might call Joel Kotkin cities, after the writer who champions thelĂ_
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