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Andrew Demshuk's book, "Three Cities after Hitler: Redemptive Reconstruction across Cold War Borders," compares postwar urban planning in Frankfurt, Leipzig, and Wrocław. Despite being under different states, these cities faced similar architectural challenges and employed comparable strategies. The book challenges national narratives and highlights the commonalities among the cases. It also deconstructs stereotypes about Poland and East Germany, emphasizing the role of local interests and individuals in shaping urban planning. The study offers a fresh perspective on Polish history and calls for a broader understanding of the forces that shape urban development. [Extracted from the article]

"Up from the Depths, Herman Melville, Lewis Mumford, and Rediscovery of Dark Times" is a book that explores the intersection of the literary ambitions and personal lives of Herman Melville and Lewis Mumford as they confront the trauma of modernity. The book delves into their shared experiences of despair and hope, their reflections on nature and the city, and their efforts to find communal connections in the face of alienation and catastrophe. It also highlights Mumford's contributions to regional planning and his vision for a sustainable future that balances consumer desires with ecological relations. The book concludes by emphasizing the importance of recognizing the limits of nature and fostering deep relationships with each other and the world. [Extracted from the article]

"The Routledge Handbook of Urban Design Research Methods" is a comprehensive collection of research methods and methodologies in the field of urban design. The book aims to provide a diverse representation of established and emerging research methods, covering case studies from various contexts and scales in both the Global North and South. The volume is organized into five parts, each focusing on a different theme: agency, affordance, place, informality, and performance. The book offers a wide range of perspectives and insights, making it a valuable resource for scholars and researchers in urban design. [Extracted from the article]

The book "Conservation and the Indian City: Bridging the Gap" edited by Poonam Verma Mascarenhas and Vinayak Bharne explores the challenges of heritage conservation in rapidly urbanizing cities in India. The book features essays by experts in the field, discussing topics such as the preservation of historic structures, the integration of conservation with urban development, and the effectiveness of existing policies. The authors emphasize the importance of inclusive and participatory planning, adaptive reuse of historical buildings, sustainable tourism, sustainable urban development, financial innovation, strengthening policy frameworks, and skill development and community engagement in heritage conservation. While the book provides valuable insights, it may be challenging for a younger or non-academic audience due to technical language. [Extracted from the article]

"Streets in Motion: the Making of Infrastructure, Property and Political Culture in Twentieth-century Calcutta" by Ritajyoti Bandyopadhyay is a book that explores the history of Calcutta through the lens of its streets. The author argues that obstructions, rather than being mere negations of motion, can be productive sites capable of generating thriving urbanisms. The book examines the relationship between urban commons, private property, public space, and territorialization in the colonial and postcolonial city. It uses ethnographic and archival research to support its arguments and provides a historical perspective on the study of urban informal communities. The book will be of interest to scholars and researchers in urban studies, geography, anthropology, planning, and policy-making. [Extracted from the article]

The book "Governing Neighborhoods in Urban China: Changing State-Society Relations" by Beibei Tang explores the evolving forms of governance in urban China and their impact on state-society relations. Tang focuses on two types of neighborhoods - middle-class neighborhoods and neighborhoods composed of former villagers - to examine everyday governance practices and their implications for political power. Drawing on field-based research conducted in four Chinese cities, Tang argues that the Chinese state has transitioned from a comprehensive collective consumption provider to a more regulatory state, with neighborhood-level organizations playing a key role in governance. The book also examines conflict resolution and service provision within neighborhoods, highlighting the complexities and inequalities that exist. While the book could benefit from a more nuanced analysis of spatial units and a clearer definition of "middle-class," it provides valuable insights into the dynamics of power and collaboration in urban China. [Extracted from the article]

"Ecovillages and Ecocities – Bioclimatic Applications from Tirana, Albania" is a comprehensive book that examines the evaluation of environmental sustainability and urban well-being, with a focus on Tirana, Albania. The book emphasizes the need for standardized assessment frameworks and showcases successful strategies from other cities in integrating bioclimatic solutions and renewable energy. It delves into various aspects of sustainable urban development, including urban evolution, social dynamics, international standards for green buildings, and the role of bioclimatic architecture. The book provides practical insights and recommendations for researchers, professionals, architects, and city planners interested in fostering sustainable urban environments globally. [Extracted from the article]

"Supertall: How the world’s tallest buildings are reshaping our cities and our lives" by Stefan Al is a book that explores the impact of supertall skyscrapers on architectural, cultural, and financial aspects of cities. The author, an architecture scholar with firsthand experience in skyscraper projects, provides a comprehensive overview of the technological and societal dimensions of skyscrapers. The book discusses the inner workings of skyscrapers, including building materials, engineering, and environmental considerations. It also delves into the social dynamics of skyscrapers, such as regulatory frameworks and their effects on public space and urban inequality. The author concludes by advocating for a new paradigm that prioritizes sustainability in skyscraper design and regulation. Overall, "Supertall" offers a balanced and critical examination of skyscrapers as significant elements of contemporary urban landscapes. [Extracted from the article]

"Resilient Urban Environments: Planning for Livable Cities" is a comprehensive book edited by Runming Yao that explores solutions for creating resilient and livable cities in the face of climate change and urbanization. The book is organized around three main themes: the negative effects of environmental changes on urban health, the use of modern modeling methods for adaptation and mitigation, and case studies of successful implementations. It covers topics such as outdoor thermal comfort, urban vitality, public health risks related to heat waves, urban microclimates, urban design strategies for air pollution mitigation, urban ventilation, soundscapes in urban planning, urban greening, urban flood resilience, energy demand in cities, and clean and renewable energy applications. The book concludes with a case study on resilience planning in Reading, UK, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This book is a valuable resource for urban planners, policymakers, and scholars interested in developing sustainable and resilient cities. [Extracted from the article]

"The Sustainable Urban Design Handbook" by Nico Larco and Kaarin Knudson is a comprehensive resource that gathers research on sustainability in urban design into a framework and a set of design patterns. The handbook is aimed at multiple parties engaged in urban design, including designers, planners, elected officials, real estate professionals, advocates, and ordinary citizens. The framework presented in the handbook is well-grounded in the literature and provides a means to highlight trade-offs and synergies between design decisions. The bulk of the book consists of design patterns that fill the cells in the framework, providing clear and actionable guidelines for urban design. The handbook is generously and well-illustrated, making it a valuable resource for anyone interested in sustainable urban design. [Extracted from the article]

The book review titled "Analysis and Evaluation of Public Social Housing: Tools for a Sustainable Regeneration" explores the topic of sustainable urban regeneration, focusing on architectural, structural, and energy efficiency aspects. The book uses a case study of Rome's post-1964 social housing developments to critique deficiencies and propose pathways for sustainable renewal. It advocates for a holistic approach to urban redevelopment, aligning with contemporary environmental sustainability and social equity imperatives. The book provides valuable insights and tools for urban planners, architects, policymakers, and researchers engaged in sustainable urban development. [Extracted from the article]

The book review discusses Elise Massicard's book "Street-level governing: negotiating the state in urban Turkey." Massicard challenges the traditional view of the Turkish state as a separate entity from society and instead explores the concept of the state as a complex institution shaped by daily interactions between public authorities and citizens. The author focuses on the role of mukhtars, who act as intermediaries between the state and society, shedding light on the intersection of the state and society in Turkey. The book is based on fieldwork conducted in different neighborhoods of Istanbul and examines how mukhtars fulfill their roles in various contexts. It also discusses the decline in the autonomy of mukhtars in recent years due to the increasing involvement of municipalities at the neighborhood level. Overall, the book challenges dominant views on Ottoman and Turkish history and provides insights into the complex networks of the state in Turkish society. [Extracted from the article]

"The Urban Question in Africa: Uneven Geographies of Transition" by Padraig R. Carmody, James T. Murphy, Richard Grant, and Francis Y. Owusu challenges prevailing assumptions about Africa's urbanization and urban dynamics. The authors argue that traditional Global North urban development approaches are inadequate for understanding and addressing Africa's urban transition. They propose innovative approaches to urban planning that balance economic growth with managing urban challenges such as infrastructure deficit, congestion, inequality, and poverty. The book examines the impact of Africa's urban transition on development and explores opportunities for inclusive and sustainable urban economic development. [Extracted from the article]

"Interwar London After Dark in British Popular Culture" by Mara Arts explores the control and representation of the night-time city in interwar London through newspapers and films. The book argues that technological advances made the night more accessible, leading to concerns about the destabilization of British society. Newspapers and films portrayed the night as sinister and unruly, contrasting it with the daytime's labor and responsibility. The book examines the portrayal of women on the night-time streets, the role of the Metropolitan Police, suburbs and public transport at night, and the reflection of newspapers and films in each other. The book also includes a comprehensive catalog of interwar films and newspaper articles. [Extracted from the article]

The book "Feminist City: Inclusion of the 'Closest Geography' in Urban Study and Design" by Leslie Kern explores the relationship between women and the current neoliberal city, highlighting the close connection between capitalism, racism, and patriarchy. The book uses an intersectional approach and the embodied experience of the city as evidence of oppression. The five chapters of the book address topics such as motherhood, friendship, loneliness, protests, and fear in relation to the city, proposing a feminist city that seeks to create more inclusive and safer spaces for all bodies. [Extracted from the article]

The book "Modernization and Social Life in the Historic Center of Quito: Planning, Mobility, and Tourism. 1967-1980" by María Ángela Cifuentes Guerra analyzes urban modernization in the city of Quito between 1967 and 1980. The book examines how different urban and political projects came together to shape what the author calls the "second modernity." Topics such as urban planning, tourism, rural-urban migration, mobility, and the daily practices of the city's inhabitants are addressed. Although the book presents a solid analysis, there is a lack of greater attention to the negotiations and conflicts generated by the projects, as well as the inclusion of maps for better visual understanding. [Extracted from the article]

The book "I had heart. Sex work, violence, and resistance" by Livia Motterle addresses the issue of sex work and the structural and symbolic violence faced by sex workers in Barcelona. The author combines theoretical anthropological reflections with a field study in the Raval neighborhood, offering a deep insight into this stigmatized phenomenon. The book also analyzes urban planning policies and cultures of control in the neighborhood, as well as the history of the construction of the imaginary of danger that affects women who defy heteronormative norms. Additionally, it examines the relationship between the State and the management of sexuality throughout history. Motterle's book explores the historical context in which hygienist and criminological ideas emerged in the 19th century, considering prostitutes as morally and biologically abnormal. The influence of Cesare Lombroso, an Italian physician, criminologist, and anthropologist, who based his positivist criminology on biological factors and claimed that prostitutes were criminals due to their physical appearance, is highlighted. The book also analyzes mechanisms of social control and stigmatization of sex workers, as well as individual and collective empowerment as forms of resistance. In summary, the book offers an academic and feminist perspective on sex work in Barcelona, demystifying stereotypes and highlighting the agency of sex workers. [Extracted from the article]

"Tensions in Diversity: Spaces for Collective Life in Los Angeles" by Felicity Hwee-Hwa Chan is a book that explores the dynamics of interpersonal relations among diverse racial and ethnic groups in Los Angeles County. The research focuses on three neighborhoods with different sociocultural groups and histories of social tensions. The study is based on interviews with community organizers and residents to understand how space is organized based on ethnicity and national origin. The book highlights the physical and social distance that persists among groups with diverse cultural and national origins, and emphasizes the importance of physical space in promoting intergroup interaction and understanding. The findings and insights of the book are relevant to anyone interested in urbanization, urban planning, community life, race and ethnicity, or Los Angeles specifically. [Extracted from the article]