History of the city

Author: Joel Kotkin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: Recommended by Professor Xia Zhijiu of National Taiwan University's Urban Planning Department, Professor Wang Zhizhi of National Taiwan University's History Department, and architectural critic Lixin. Cities—human organizations that precede nations, the source of collective human creativity, the driving force behind urban rise and fall—hold the key to the direction of human evolution. Cities—products of humanity's disregard for nature and self-destruction, or a magnificent creation of a new order? Cities precede nations; they are humanity's earliest forms of communal living. After people gather to live together, how do they define their relationships? How do they establish boundaries? What new things emerge from their interactions? Through urban construction, law, commerce, religion, culture, and art arise in corresponding fashion. "City" is not just an exhibition of skyscrapers but also the birthplace of human civilization. Diverse human elements give rise to different urban landscapes. Connecting cities that have been trendsetters in each era is a microcosm of world history. In this outstanding and authoritative work, the acclaimed urban planner and best-selling author Joel Kotkin guides us through a journey spanning millennia of urban life evolution, exploring a long-debated question: How do cities thrive? Later, the author incorporates terrorism into the discussion, addressing the future of cities and exploring how today's religious and cultural conflicts pose a fatal threat to urban futures. Additionally, elites are drawn to major cities but wander among various sensory experiences, leaving the core value of a city at risk of collapse. How can we achieve a better urban life? This book takes a grand perspective, not only discussing urban issues such as heritage preservation and green space conservation but also capturing the pulse of the times to reaffirm the essence of a good urban life, earning it a place among the ranks of distinguished urban scholars led by Lewis Mumford and Jane Jacobs. Lixin: "A compelling and eye-opening work that is hard to put down, this book is an essential addition to any urban planner's shelf alongside the works of Lewis Mumford, Peter Hall, and Fernand Braudel."—Author of The Perfect House, Gold Dens, Silver Dens, Dog Dens, and The Evolution of the Screwdriver, and Professor of Urban Studies at Pennsylvania State University. Michael Barone: "No one understands cities better or is more qualified to teach us about their history than the author of this book. It takes us from ancient Babylon to the thriving suburbs of modern cities, offering a fascinating and vivid urban journey that will leave you thoroughly enriched."—Columnist for U.S. News & World Report and author of The American Political Almanac. Fred Siegel: "If you want to know why American and European cities are merging in such a way, and why Bush won the 2004 presidential election, you should read this book's history of urban rise and fall."—Senior Fellow at the Progressive Policy Institute and author of The City King: Giuliani, New York, and the Character of American Life. Bob Lanier: "A unique and insightful perspective on urban life worth reading."—Mayor of Houston from 1992 to 1998. Contents Part 1: Origins—The Rise of Cities Around the World Chapter 1 Sacred Origins Chapter 2 Wielding Power—The Rise of Imperial Capitals Chapter 3 The Earliest Trading Centers Part 2: Classical European Cities Chapter 4 Greek Civilization Chapter 5 Rome—The First Metropolis Chapter 6 The Decline of Ancient Cities Part 3: The Eastern Period Chapter 7 The Islamic World Chapter 8 Chinese Cities Chapter 9 A Missed Opportunity Part 4: Western Cities Regain Dominance Chapter 10 The European Urban Renaissance Chapter 11 The City of Wealth Part 5: Industrial Cities Chapter 12 The Urban Revolution in America and Britain Chapter 13 Industrialism and Its Discontents Part 6: Modern Metropolises Chapter 14 Pursuing "Better Cities" Chapter 15 The Victory of the Suburbs Chapter 16 The Postcolonial Dilemma Chapter 17 "The Crown of the Far East" Conclusion The Future of Cities