Scott Martelle doesn't sugarcoat reality in his thought-provoking Detroit: A Biography (Chicago Review Press, 2012), a very absorbing history with a mix of recurring and new issues.
After I finished reading a similar type of study of New Orleans that stops between the War of 1812 and the American Civil War, I found it interesting to see how effectively a city biography can bring its readers up to date, right through the Great Recession, without much pause.
There are many elements to consider in Detroit: A Biography, and about the comparative history of other cities, too. Changes in demographics. Economic shifts. Technology and transportation. Architecture and city planning. Geographic spread. Suburbs. All of these things and more.
Today's Rune: Fertility.
1 comment:
Having always been a country boy, even when living in New Orleans, I know very little about any of our big cities. Sometimes I feel the draw of such places, but it tends to pass pretty quickly.
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