political science / public policy / city planning & urban development

Presents an account of the past, present, and future of transit in the United States.

"[The author] offers a . . . history of the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders--popularly known as the Kerner Commission. Convened by President Lyndon Johnson after riots in Newark and Detroit left dozens dead and thousands injured, the commission issued a report in 1968 that attributed the unrest to 'white racism' and called for aggressive new programs to end racism and poverty. 'Our nation is moving toward two societies,' they warned, 'one black, and one white--separate and unequal.' Fifty years later, [the author] draws on official records, never-before-seen private papers, and interviews with key players to offer an . . . account of the Kerner Commission's work and its . . . legacies"--Provided by publisher.

Examines how living in urban areas can affect a person's happiness, either in a good way or bad. Discusses several different cities from around the world that are doing things differently in their inner cities to help make city living more happy.

The author travels the world looking for the best public transport systems and argues that the age of the automobile is coming to a close with more and more people using public transportaion due to rising oil costs.