Books

My latest book, Beneath the Metropolis: The Secret Lives of Cities, was published in late 2006 by Carroll and Graf Publishers. Here's some basic information on it below, and you can find more at Carroll and Graf's website.

Beneath the Metropolis: The Secret Lives of Cities
By Alex Marshall

Description:

"The pulse of great cities may be most palpable above ground, but it is below the busy streets where we can observe their rich archaeological history and the infrastructure that keeps them running. In The Secret Lives of Cities journalist Alex Marshall investigates how geological features, archaeological remnants of past civilizations, and layered networks transporting water, electricity, and people, have shaped these cities through centuries of political turbulence and advancements in engineering — and how they are determining the course of the cities' future.

From the first-century catacombs of Rome, the New York subway system, and the swamps and ancient quays beneath London, to San Francisco's fault lines, the depleted aquifer below Mexico City, and Mao Tse-tung's extensive network of secret tunnels under Beijing, these subterranean environments offer a unique cross-section of a city's history and future.

Stunningly illustrated with colorful photographs, drawings, and maps, The Secret Lives of Cities reveals the hidden worlds beneath our feet, and charts the cities' development through centuries of forgotten history, political change, and technological innovation."

My first book, How Cities Work: Suburbs, Sprawl and The Roads Not Taken, was published in 2001 and was acclaimed for providing insight into how our suburbs and cities grow. You can read excerpts and reviews of it here.

Categories: About my book