Top ten books about building cities

Jonathan Carr first visited Chicago in 1983 in between periods spent living in the UK, Kenya, Gambia, Greece and Louisiana. A graduate of Cambridge University, he has worked as a travel correspondent, a book reviewer and a teacher of English. He holds a PhD in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University. Make Me a City is his first novel. He currently lives in Bologna, Italy.

At the Guardian Carr tagged ten of the best books about building cities, including:

SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard

It’s only right to start with Rome. I was fascinated by Beard’s exploration of why and how an unpromising location should have spawned such a remarkable city. Her account is scholarly but accessible, a serious and seriously entertaining read. One factor crucial to the city’s success was the role played by immigrants. Whether they liked it or not, foreigners were turned into citizens, required to share in both the responsibilities and the benefits of life in a multicultural world.

Read about another entry on the list.

--Marshal Zeringue