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mkesten's review
4.0
Some of my common criticisms of books these days applies to this one: the title really does not do justice to the content. There is the assumption that we are living in a unique age of populism and no real analysis of the premise, but the so-called age of populism is really secondary to the major point of the book: that redirecting the attention of municipal leaders to the underlying wealth of cities can provide the basis for leadership to accelerate growth, provide a basis to deal with intractable urban problems, and rebalance the relationship between levels of government in democracies.
This is actually quite a helpful book on the subject of what cities can do to help themselves.
The stories remind one that some people are really trying hard in America and elsewhere to redress systemic racism, intractable poverty, improve access to educational and economic opportunity, urban renewal (there’s an old phrase), and social cohesion.
This is actually quite a helpful book on the subject of what cities can do to help themselves.
The stories remind one that some people are really trying hard in America and elsewhere to redress systemic racism, intractable poverty, improve access to educational and economic opportunity, urban renewal (there’s an old phrase), and social cohesion.
wombatwolf's review
1.0
Aggressively dull to read, and the teased connection relating New Localism to the new populist movement is completely unaddressed. A cheap, awful grab of a claim to put on the book to turn heads.
The arguments made here, of which I mostly agree, could have been summed up in a few paragraphs - not several hundred pages. This book is not necessary, and written as drearily as it is, does the concepts discussed within a disservice.
The arguments made here, of which I mostly agree, could have been summed up in a few paragraphs - not several hundred pages. This book is not necessary, and written as drearily as it is, does the concepts discussed within a disservice.
ivantable's review
2.0
I agree with the thesis, but less thrilled about its presentation. What could have been a lively book that showed the liveliness of the “new localism,” it instead reads like a lifeless white paper (to borrow the apt description of another reviewer).
jdhull's review
3.0
Incredibly boring and super technical, but ultimately inspiring, new, and refreshing.
keithfarrell's review
2.0
I agree with Katz that Cities are the incubators for today's global problems, and well... that's about all I agree with him on.
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