A city is not a computer: other urban intelligences: by Sharron Mattern, Princeton, NJ, Princeton University Press, 2021, 200 pp., £14.99 (paperback), ISBN 978-0-691-20805-3.

Whereas Alexander felt the metaphorical tree undermines an appreciation of cities, Mattern suggests actual trees reveal the intricate social and technological relationships embedded in urban design, planning and administration. Shannon Mattern's recent book, I A City is not a Computer: Other Urban Intelligences i , therefore represents a well-timed contribution to literature on smart cities. Like the discussion of libraries and maintenance, Mattern writes about actual urban tree planting as a practical form of organizational intelligence. [Extracted from the article]