Rating: 
Summary: analysis, not opinion
Review: A fantastic book for anyone who is serious about figuring out how to fundamentally change the layout of American development. Rather than blabbing about the effects, Marshall breaks down the causes and illustrates how transportation systems and decisions about them are pivotal to how America is developed. Towards the end of the book, Marshall also gracefully expands his scope to a more philosophical level and discusses how civic planning impacts community and our humanity. While at times maybe a bit too bitter (New Urbanism, while not the final solution, is at least better than McMansions!), Marshall does a good job looking honestly at the issues and the trade-offs between them: for instance, the issue of how greater community would also entail higher costs of goods, more limited mobility, etc.
Furthermore, the book is a pleasure to read. I myself have an amateur interest in the topic, but found the material very accessible. His style provides a good blend of case studies and wider analysis. Overall, I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to seriously probe how we can change this mess which is the American suburban landscape.
Rating: 
Summary: a solid introduction to sprawl
Review: A good brief introduction to the sprawl issue and to how highway departments created it. Marshall is a bit more critical of New Urbanism than I: he asserts that pedestrian friendly new suburbs (like Celebration in Florida and Kentlands in Maryland) are basically garden variety auto-oriented suburbs because they have no job base and minimal transit linkage to nearby large cities. He has a point -- but on the other hand, such places do serve a useful function in showing that new development doesn't have to look just like conventional suburban development.
Rating:
Summary: engaging, diverse, and open-ended
Review: A previous reviewer faulted the author for poor analysis. I don't think we read the same book. Throughout the book, the author repeatedly explains issues of economy, transportation, and the power of governmental choice in the formation of cities. He points out, as few new urbanists do, that cities exist for the economic advantage of its citizens, that government makes real decisions about what kind of transportation system is to be utilized, and that it is the transportation system that ultimately determines the form of regions. He effectively articulates that the functions of a city are innate and independent of the forms that city might take. To the author's credit, he clearly identifies his personal preferences for a developmental form that is transit oriented and dominated by urbanist forms. The book is easy to read, and its theories are clearly and repeatedly stated. Is the book correct? Who knows. The author, very ambitiously, attempts to get at the very basics of the existence of the city form, and I think he proffers thoughtful and compelling arguments.
Rating: 
Summary: Confused Analysis: The Problem with "How Cities Work"
Review: Alex Marshall has written an entertaining description of his frustration with the current choices of many Americans to live in low density housing relying upon the freeway and arterial road systems. He describes his interaction with selected citizens of Portland, the Silicon Valley, Jackson Heights and Celebration and attempts from this "base" to extract the ultimate truths that underly what, to him, is a thoroughly unsatisfactory way of life. In many ways, his frustration is amusing, predictable, and entirely understandable: Americans do not agree, in general, that there is something inherently wrong with a single-family home in a nice location. It can be argued - although almost never is - that the genius of the post-industrial economic world is the flexibility of the highway system, which allows one and two job families to maintain their residential base, while tapping into changing economic opportunities. Marshall argues that tolerating the present situation - he admits that politicians support it - is the result of the "confusion" of those of us who do not see things his way. Indeed, he expresses surprise that people he iterviews in Celebration, a "New Urbanist" development that, curiously, he spends much of the book criticizing, like where they live and how it works. After reading the book, however, it is clear that the confusion is Marshall's. Only in a very few places in the book does he acknowledge the importance of the ebb and flow of the economy; at no point does the massive shifts in types and locations of jobs come into play. From his point of view, each city should build (without bothering to explain where the funds come from) fixed transportation systems which would allow the elimination of the freeways, thus putting "pressure" on the downtowns, thus forcing higher density. His interpretation of the success of the Portland area totally ignores the effects of the chip-making, lumber processing, or other economic issues, as well as the effects of geography and the remoteness of the location. Instead, he cites as the sole reason for Portland's favorable status the use of a Growth Boundry. Anyone who takes the time to drive around Portland quickly notices, however, that the same characteristics that he condemns elsewhere are evident in that area. Indeed, while many debate the issue, if there has been any effect of the Urban Growth Boundry, it can be argued to have artificially increased housing prices, a result Marshall correctly criticizes as unhealthy in the Silicon Valley. When all is said, however, I strongly recommend this book because of Marshall's candor and insight. He acknowledges - as no book I have seen does - that the same trends are evident in the European cities where the heavy hand of government is much more involved in laying out urban transit and placing barriers to home ownership. I have noted this, for example, in the Mannheim, Germany area where despite a truly outstanding wheel and spoke system(and cross urban rail system)it is obvious that the city is losing its middle class to suburban living.
Rating:
Summary: The Emporer wears no clothes.
Review: Finally a voice in the wilderness that effectively unmasks the whole New Urbanism / Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) "movement" for what it truly is: just another developer-driven ploy to sell real estate at maximum profit and minimum responsibility for the impact such development has on the entire region and its growth patterns. NU/TND is nothing more than suburban sprawl in new dress, and it fails to acknowledge the true "engine" of growth in contemporary American society, the auto-centric lifestyle so many of us cling to. Marshall's book is the first to come out and declare that the emporer ( in this case leading advocate of NU: Architect Andres Duany and his wife, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk ) is naked. Continuing the socio-economic stratification of suburbia while dressing up the architecture with cute porches set close to the street ( so we can observe our neighbors gliding by in their new gargantuan SUV's I suppose) and creating little "town-centers" with a Starbucks ( of course ) and perhaps a Baskin-Robbins/Subway combination will not solve the problems of urban sprawl. These developments are only studied as far as the first intersection with the regional transportation grid, and then the streams of vehicles pouring out become a problem the rest of us must contend with as they compete for a traffic lane on ever-clogging freeways. As long as we continue to allow the profit-driven development community to set the design agenda, we will continue suffering the morass we now attempt to navigate. Marshall examines the true Urban/Suburban transportation infrastructure and guides our thinking towards more effective solutions than those put forward by the NU/TND camp. This is not a book for those seeking quick easy solutions to long-tem problems, but it's highly readable and Marshall brings a fresh-perspective to the discussion.
Rating:
Summary: Escaping the car
Review: How do cities work? According to Alex Marshall, the three factors that determine city form are transportation, economics, and politics. Whether or not you end up convinced, I think he gives a good argument. Marshall believes that cities serve primarily economic functions. They are builders of wealth. But transportation is the crucial element that determines whether a city gets dense and communal, or turns into suburban sprawl. Economics determines how the city grows, but only after the infrastructure is laid out. This infrastructure then, is not laid out through market processes. Because they are public goods, it is politics that determines what kind of transportation network is built, whether roads and freeways, or rails and subways. The latter set, Marshall argues, is necessary for healthy cities, and we should be aware that politics is the force driving transportation, because this means that we choose what kind of city we want through what kind of infrastructure we decide to build. Much of the book is devoted to studies of specific urban areas that have approached sprawl in different ways. It is also a critique of the New Urbanism movement, as Marshall argues it deals with superficial details while neglecting the underlying issues that form cities. He goes so far as to say that New Urbanism actually creates sprawl. Not all his analyses are always keen (some of his economic discussions are overly simple), and not all of his proposals may sound sensible. But his core argument is well worth thinking about. Marshall wants what I want: cities that are active and lively, dense and convenient, democratic and diverse. He brings attention to government and its role, the price we must pay for having community, and his pleas are intelligent and genuine. HOW CITIES WORK is part journalism, part instruction manual. It's a way to understand that perhaps we can still do something to change the landscape of suburban America.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent example of persuasive journalism by Marshall!
Review: I can't begin to stress the amount I learned from this book. I had no knowledge of how cities are built (or even much interest) before I read this, but Alex Marshall not only explained how cities and towns develop (through economics, politics, and transportation - to be incredibly short about it) but also made an argument for what can be done to change the highway and car-driven suburbs that we live in.
Marshall makes his point by using four different places as examples: Disney's "fake town" of Celebration, Florida (contrasted with genuine Florida small town Kissimee); Silicon Valley, California; Jackson Heights, New York; and Portland, Oregon. Not only does he provide insight into how these towns work, but he also describes why they work as they do. Meanwhile, these analyses are interspersed with how the politics, transportation, and money create all towns.
A New Urbanist or a Libertarian would blow their stack, but nevertheless How Cities Work is an excellent book, and excellent journalism that explains a context while also making a point about it.
Rating:
Summary: Eye opening
Review: I have been interested in the New Urbanism philosophy for a while now. Living in a walkable community is important to me. In this book, Alex Marshall opened my eyes to different factors involved in maintaining a "traditional city". It challenged my assumptions and changed my opinions. In some ways, Alex is against New Urbanism, saying that usually New Urbanism simply results in buidling new suburban developments. It is not as simple as building houses with front porches within walking distance of a small commercial street. Maintaining a community and a healthy urban core involves transportation, regional government, and politics. Interestingly, Alex challenges that increasing parking and freeway access to a downtown area can kill a City rather than help it. Some people do not like WalMart's because they take business away from smaller community stores. The problems is, this started with the advent of the automobile. If you have a car, you can't blame WalMart. Many people would rather drive to a large box-retail-store to save money than try to find parking at a local small store and pay higher prices. Granted, you might get to know the owner of the local store and meet some neighbors. Gas is cheap and freeways are plentiful. Sadly, there are few alternatives to the car anymore. The minority that would rather live in a "community" and shop at local stores have limited options. As soon as you say "growth restrictions" someone else says you are taking away their right to a new home on 1/2 an acre close to the new freeway paid for and maintained by your tax dollars. What about your right to enjoy a local neighborhood? But, once that person buys their 1/2 acre house, you bet they will fight for growth restrictions to keep that empty stretch of land farther out free from further development. Of course, the developers would have something to say about that. Alex also talks about how suburban developments often seperate housing from retail which makes cars a requirement, and use pods and culdesacs along with feeder streets. This really puts the damper on any ideas of trying to walk or use public transit. It appears that Alex is not a Liberatarian. He supports that governments should not be considered as evil. The entire capitalistic system would not work without the government to enforce the laws, create the transportation systems, print money, form the SEC, etc. Strong and wealthy nations usually have strong governments with a healthy tax base. On a local level, governments used to layout cities, but they don't anymore. Really, state transportation departments build freeways which preceed growth. Now big developers lay out "communities" and turn them over to the city to maintain. Alex does come up with some suggested solutions, but they are not trivial. Overall, the book is an interesting read.
Rating: 
Summary: Tell me something I don't know....
Review: I have to disagree with the opinions of some of the reviews presented here and give this book two stars - mainly for its smooth narrative style and nothing more. Alex Marshall is not a professional in any urban field - he is a journalist. His take on the problems modern cities face is expressed shallowly. It is like a book on medicine written by a lawyer. Sure, he has some nice ideas but these seem childish views to me and more of a common sense matter - not really worth putting to print. In fact, it is so easy, simple and shallow I consider it a great exercise for your first speed reading class.
Rating:
Summary: Good introduction to understanding forces that shape cities
Review: Many recently published books have been devoted to the plight of Urban sprawl. How Cities Work is a recommended addition. Clear, concise and to the point it establishes a solid perspective from which to view the choices that we have made in how we choose to live. The book begins by asserting that the factors that shape any city are a combination of its Transportation, Economics and Politics. After creating a framework for understanding these factors the book presents a critique of the so-called "New Urbanism". Marshall chooses none other than Disney's Celebration in Orlando Florida as his case study for the New Urbanism movement. Contrasting the Potemkin-like Celebration with neighboring Kissimmee, Marshall examines the forces that shaped each. The history of Kissimmee, complete with its ups and downs, demonstrates the workings of an authentic city. Celebration, in comparison, shows itself to be all style and little substance.
Cities don't "just happen". It wasn't the simply the car or modern technology that shaped how we live today. Rather, it was the integration of the three forces of Transportation, Economics and Politics. The car is only as good as the roads that get built through government funding and a city's growth is shaped by the politics of zoning boards. The history of the last 50 years has shown that we have chosen a centrifugal direction for these forces. From general neglect of mass transportation to the emergence of restrictive covenants, we've chosen a path that has lead us to the creation of communities that serve to segment and isolate rather than bring together.
While Marshall's remedies, especially his penchant for generally left-wing approaches to social policy, may sometimes miss the mark, his book offers an excellent framework from which to approach the task of remaking our cities into much more livable places.
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