About the Book In this sweeping cultural history, the author of Home and The Most Beautiful House in the World traces the development of American cities and city life from the early colonial settlements to the new downtowns of skyscrapers and high-rise apartment buildings. A fascinating investigation of what cities--especially modern cities--should be like.--Roger Starr, The Wall Street Journal. Book Synopsis In City Life, Witold Rybczynski, bestselling author of Now I Sit Me Down, looks at what we want from cities, how they have evolved, and what accounts for their unique identities. In this vivid description of everything from the early colonial settlements to the advent of the skyscraper to the changes wrought by the automobile, the telephone, the airplane, and telecommuting, Rybczynski reveals how our urban spaces have been shaped by the landscapes and lifestyles of the New World. About the Author Witold Rybczynski has written about architecture and urbanism for The New York Times , Time , The Atlantic , and The New Yorker . He is the author of the critically acclaimed book Home and the award-winning A Clearing in the Distance , as well as T he Biography of a Building , T he Mysteries of the Mall , and Now I Sit Me Down . The recipient of the National Building Museums 2007 Vincent Scully Prize, he lives with his wife in Philadelphia, where he is emeritus professor of architecture at the University of Pennsylvania.