Contains:
Introduction by Keith Gessen & Stephen Squibb
Welcome to San Diego by Jordan Kisner
Los Angeles Plays Itself by Dayna Tortorici
Modern Fresno by Michael Thomsen
Bankrupt in Seattle by Jenny Hendrix
Gold Rush Whittier by Erin Sheehy
The Office and the City by Nikil Saval
The Making of Local Boise by Ryan Liebenthal
My Las Vegas by Katy Lederer
Phoenix Rising by Emily Gogolak
Crossing El Paso by Debbie Nathan
Upstream in Williston by Nicky Tiso
Lessons of the Arkansas by Ben Merriman
Dallas and the Park Cities by Annie Julia Wyman
The Kindness of Strangers in New Orleans by Moira Donegan
M., Northern Kentucky by Gary Percesespe
Six Houses in Hyde Park by Sam Biederman
Milwaukee's Gilded Age and Aftermath by Greg Afinogenov
Saving Detroit by Simone Landon
The Cleveland Model, interview with Gar Alperovitz
Neighborhoods of Cincinnati by James Pogue
Five Jobs in Reading by Chris Reitz
Late Show Philadelphia, 1999 by Chanelle Benz
The Highway and the City by Dan Albert
Atlanta's Beltline Meets the Voters by Alex Sauf Cummings
Dire Straits by Michelle Tea
Fear and Aggression in Palm Coast by Elias Rodriques
Miami Party Boom by Emily Witt
Lehigh Acres, Designated Place by Spencer Fleury
Disappearing in Duluth by Shawn Wen
White Oak Denim, Greensboro by Aaron Lake Smith
Washington D.C. Brother by Michael Merriam
Christmas in Baltimore by Lawrence Jackson
Philly School Reform by Jesse Montgomery
Bed-Stuy by Brandon Harris
Providence, You're Looking Good by Ian MacDougall
Boston Buys Resistace, interview with Steve Meacham
DestiNY Syracuse, USA by Steve Featherstone ( )

There's a lot happening here in this collection of essays. I was really drawn to the premise--so many different takes on so many different cities across the United States--though like so many collections featuring a variety of authors, you're going to get a variety of work. Some were so very on point, others were good but hazy on any real city connection, and a few just didn't pop much at all. As such, it's a good collection for picking through to find which topics strike you. I tended to lean toward the essays focusing more on social issues rather than the financial or political, following my own inclinations and understanding. Looking back, I'd say my top three favorites were "Gold Rush in Whittier," detailing a remote Alaskan town confined mostly to a single building; "Fear and Aggression in Palm Coast," a reflection on growing up black in the Florida 'burbs; and "Christmas in Baltimore," wherein a man ventures back to his hometown to attend the funeral of a childhood friend and ruminates on the impact of the (in)justice system on bright, young black men.

Many of these essays do a great job of highlighting the peculiarities of any one particular city, but also leaving enough open for you, the reader, to make your own connections.

**I received a copy of this book as a Goodread's First Reads giveaway.** ( )