American cities, long considered the paradigm of modern urbanization, owe their particular and varied design as much to the specific circumstances of their history as to a supposed modernist concern for shaping urban futures. Often decried as generic and homogeneous, today's urban environments in fact offer a terrain rich in differentiation. By emphasizing the basis of contemporary American cities in political economy, cultural histories, and the geographical particularities of the United States, this much-needed guide is for urban dwellers, urban designers, and urban historians interested in experiencing the richness of our built environment.--from publisher description.