Face-Books: Some of this book is outdated, since it was written during the preparations for the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and some of its insights refer to the Geopolitical Fear in the wake of the 911 attacks.
What are more interesting are the author's thoughts on how cities are structured - and global phenomena related to population shifts, and economic inequality. A couple of things I will remember from this book:
"Transcendent Capitalism" - Socialism can't keep up, and communism never agreed with human nature in the first place. From now on, the Robber Barons rule everything.
"The Generic City" - I would challenge anyone to visit Manchester Road in St Louis, State Street in Salt Lake City, East Market Street in Leesburg, VA. Look around, and try to figure out where you really are. It's "Anywhere America" - a racetrack built to carry cars from one parking lot to another.
"Permanent Catastrophe" - The ultimate effect of climate change. We will lurch from one catastrophe to another. It will become our lifestyle: the "new normal".
Very densely written, and slow reading. So - not a good travel book. Sometimes a little over the top, but a lot of discussable ideas.
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