In this vigorous collection of essays about the prospects for livable cities, editor Emilie Buchwald has put together a diverse crosscut of authors who present case studies, offer their theories, and discuss ways in which these environments can be improved. Some of the many themes covered include smart growth, the New Urbanism, regional planning, waterfront development, infrastructure, opportunity-based housing, and the value of including nature in the urban milieu. The term "livable city" refers to a place that contains mixed-housing and commerce easily accessible to pedestrians, a wide range of jobs and housing opportunities, many cultural offerings, and a "green" agenda. Urban areas of all sizes are striving to meet this goal.
One of the best things about this paperback is the high regard Buchwald has for the ideal of civility as one of the qualities that improves urban living. Check out Jane Holtz Kay's appreciation of "the sharing of space with absentminded courtesy — the chance encounters between strangers and neighbors." Lynn Morgenroth left Boston for suburbia because of the increasing incivility in Boston. But another resident of Cambridge, Sara St. Antoine, makes the place seem eminently livable as she moves around the neighborhood. She points out that according to the U.S. Census, fully 24 percent of residents in this area walk to work, compared to a national average of only 3 percent. And 12 percent of Cambridge households don't have a car.
Just try to imagine what cities would be like without so many automobiles. Bill McGibben does just that with his report on Curitiba, Brazil, where the major form of transportation is the bus. And Jay Walljasper points out that only 20 percent of people's trips around Amsterdam are in a car: 36 are made on foot, another 31 percent on bikes, and 11 percent on public transit. Many pedestrians in cities across the world are speaking out against the deference given to cars and their drivers. These rebels are part of what Alan Ehrenhalt calls "the asphalt rebellion." James Howard Kunstler goes so far as to suggest in his essay that "the end of the cheap-oil era suggests that the presence of cars in our lives will be greatly reduced."
This collection of essays is a must-read for all those interested in civility and cities.
