Non-Fiction Pick of the Week: The Walkable City

The Walkable City: from Haussmann’s boulevards to Jane Jacobs’ streets and beyond
by Mary Soderstrom 2008

Does it matter if you can walk to work or go for a leisurely walk in your city? According to Canadian writer Mary Soderstrom, it should. In her latest book, The Walkable City, Soderstrom examines how city planning, architecture, the industrial revolution and politics have influenced the lives of urban dwellers. What is interesting about this book is the use of examples such as Napoleon’s decree to Haussmann to remake Paris and how Mont Royal in Montreal came into being – politics and economics. These historic examples demonstrate how cities have been created and developed. What will the future hold for large cities dependent on cars? Soderstrom uses cities like New York, Singapore and Toronto to illustrate how urban areas can be reorganized to become walkable cities.