Explores what the earliest cities were like, and how urban life has changed over the centuries; what forces guided the evolution of cities into centers of industry, commerce, finance, recreation, entertainment, higher education and media communications; why cities face problems of inadequate mass transit, congestion, housing decay, pollution, crime and fiscal bankruptcy; how city life shapes personalities and attitudes and influences lifestyles and life chances; what solutions have been proposed for urban problems; and how different everyday life will be in the city of the future.