Triumph of the City: How Our Greatest Invention Makes Us Richer, Smarter, Greener, Healthier, and Happier by Edward Glaeser

The book Triumph of the City by Harvard economics professor Edward Glaeser celebrates the power of urban living. Glaeser argues that cities have made people richer, smarter, greener, healthier, and happier, and are the driving force behind most of the world’s great accomplishments. He posits that instead of ceding ground to suburbia, cities should embrace their remarkable creative and economic potential.

Glaeser begins by noting that by almost every economic measure, cities are more productive than rural areas and that they are the driving force behind global growth and innovation. He notes the efficiency of cities and their ability to concentrate specialized workers and firms, which makes cooperation and the sharing of ideas easier and more effective. He further posits that cities are a powerful force for greater economic mobility, that the poor can find greater opportunity in cities than they can in rural areas.

Glaeser goes on to explore the environmental, health, and happiness benefits of urban living. He explains how cities allow for greater resource efficiency, reducing the amount of land needed to support a large population, leading to greater sustainability. He further explains how cities are the most efficient way of arranging the distribution of goods and services, reducing that time and cost of transportation.

Next, Glaeser notes the health benefits of cities, including lower obesity and disease rates, largely attributed to the denser population that makes walking more necessary. Finally, Glaeser explores areas of non-economic benefit, such as social and creative energy. He explains that cities are spaces of cultural and artistic optimization, full of opportunity for far richer experiences than can be found in rural areas.

To Glaeser, the advantages of cities are clear, but he notes that cities also have their challenges. These include the dangers of over-densification and overcrowding. He proposes solutions to help cities manage these problems. These include better transportation options, greater use of telecommuting and other technological solutions, and denser housing.

Glaeser concludes that despite its challenges, the power of the city cannot be denied. He believes that cities can provide an unparalleled level of prosperity and well-being if used correctly and suggests that it is our responsibility to manage them better.

Triumph of the City is a powerful exploration of the strengths and weaknesses of cities. Glaeser makes a convincing case that the city is the most powerful invention of our time and reveals how cities will play a critical role in tackling the pressing challenges of our era. It is a book that should be read by anyone looking to understand our modern world—and how to make it better.