50 pages • 1 hour read
Edward L. GlaeserTriumph of The City: How Our Greatest Invention Makes Us Richer, Smarter, Greener, Healthier, and Happier (2011)
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2011A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
List three government policies that make suburban towns more attractive than cities, and explain how each does so.
Why are poor neighborhoods in thriving cities a sign of economic health? How do such neighborhoods help the poor move up the economic ladder?
New York City faced bankruptcy in the 1970s. Explain how New York turned itself around and returned to vibrancy.
List two complaints lodged against skyscrapers, and describe how the buildings’ designers might address each problem.
What is “NIMBYism,” and how does it stymie the growth of cities?
Detroit mayor Coleman Young tried a number of incentives to bring economic vibrancy back to Detroit. Name two of these actions and describe how they helped or hurt the city.
In what ways are suburban areas more stressful on the environment than cities? Describe briefly how cities reduce these stresses.
What is the chief benefit of urban density? How does density make that benefit possible? How can cities encourage more of this productive density?
Many things make cities attractive places to live. Select three of those things and explain why each is a plus to a city’s residents.
Name a city in the American South mentioned in the book for its low housing costs, and explain the ways that this city keeps those costs manageable.
