Introduction xi
1. Arrival
The City in the Lake 1
The Golden Door 8
Skyline 13
The Central Station 18
2. History
Origins 29
The Ideal City 37
New Town 44
Necropolis 50
The City Wall 60
3. Customs
Writing 73
Street Language 78
'Kilroy was here' 82
The Voice of the Street 86
Carnival! 93
The House of God 102
4. Where to Stay
Downtown 115
Chinatown, Little Italy and the Ghetto 124
Slum City 132
From Garden Suburbs to Boomburbs 141
The Hotel 152
5. Getting Around
Walking 163
Traffic 171
Going Underground 181
The Skyscraper 192
6. Money
Markets 207
The Jewel Box of the World 216
Got to Pick a Pocket or Two 223
The Department Store 234
7. Time Out
The City and the Stage 247
City of the Mind 255
Street Food 261
Gladiators and Marathon Runners 269
The Park 280
8. Beyond the City
The Wired City 293
Eco-Cities 302
Futuropolis 312
The Ruins 324
Afterword 337
Notes 340
Further Reading 368
Picture Credits 374
Acknowledgements 375
Index 376