315: The Smart Growth Manual by Andres Duany and Jeff Speck

The Smart Growth Manual by Andres Duany and Jeff Speck

The Smart Growth Manual is a wide-ranging introduction to many of the issues facing the 21st-century city. In an effort to be comprehensive the Manual begins by looking how the growth of the city affects the region in which it sits. From there the authors work down the scale from region to neighborhood to street to buildings. This book is jam-packed with ideas everyone interested in improving their city should be familiar with.

Why this is progressive/liberal: Progressives tend to favor the cosmopolitanism of cities. If you look at election maps the division isn't so much between red states and blue states as it is between red rural areas and blue urban centers. This also contributes to the different ways conservatives and liberals see the role of government. Taxes to pay for public transportation are essential for a well-run city (for example). And, since progressives are more likely to be found in the city, they're also more interested in what it takes to make a city great.



Also be sure to check out: The New Urbanism: Toward an Architecture of Community by Peter Katz