While not a new book (it was released in 2013), Daniel Brook's A History of Future Cities looked like a worthwhile read when I stumbled across it in a used bookstore. My thought was proven correct. If you're into history,
geography, politics and/or economics, you should find Brook's study of four major global cities enlightening. It also shows the trends that tend to overlap most of these
cities' histories.
Shanghai, Mumbai, St.
Petersburg, and Dubai are all "boom" global cities, fixed on a battle
between cosmopolitan and national, west versus east, capitalist versus statist.
Each city has its own unique tale, but those consistent battles weave through
the history of each. Brook chronologically bounces between the cities beginning
with the creation of St. Petersburg through the modern dramas taking shape,
effectively sharing the common storylines but with unique tales from each
community as the book progresses.
For those curious about city
evolution, A History of Future Cities is well researched and effective. It's a smart
historical book that will help give you a sense of understanding the role of
the West (and the tug of each nation's traditions) in creating these 21st
Century metropolises.
MY RATING - 4
