Audiobook7 hours
The End the Suburbs: Where the American Dream is Moving
Written by Leigh Gallagher
Narrated by Jessica Geffen
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
3/5
()
About this audiobook
“The government in the past created one American Dream at the expense of almost all others: the dream of a house, a lawn, a picket fence, two children, and a car. But there is no single American Dream anymore.”
For nearly 70 years, the suburbs were as American as apple pie. As the middle class ballooned and single-family homes and cars became more affordable, we flocked to pre-fabricated communities in the suburbs, a place where open air and solitude offered a retreat from our dense, polluted cities. Before long, success became synonymous with a private home in a bedroom community complete with a yard, a two-car garage and a commute to the office, and subdivisions quickly blanketed our landscape.
But in recent years things have started to change. An epic housing crisis revealed existing problems with this unique pattern of development, while the steady pull of long-simmering economic, societal and demographic forces has culminated in a Perfect Storm that has led to a profound shift in the way we desire to live.
In The End of the Suburbs journalist Leigh Gallagher traces the rise and fall of American suburbia from the stately railroad suburbs that sprung up outside American cities in the 19th and early 20th centuries to current-day sprawling exurbs where residents spend as much as four hours each day commuting. Along the way she shows why suburbia was unsustainable from the start and explores the hundreds of new, alternative communities that are springing up around the country and promise to reshape our way of life for the better.
Not all suburbs are going to vanish, of course, but Gallagher's research and reporting show the trends are undeniable. Consider some of the forces at work:
The nuclear family is no more: Our marriage and birth rates are steadily declining, while the single-person households are on the rise. Thus, the good schools and family-friendly lifestyle the suburbs promised are increasingly unnecessary.
We want out of our cars: As the price of oil continues to rise, the hours long commutes forced on us by sprawl have become unaffordable for many. Meanwhile, today's younger generation has expressed a perplexing indifference toward cars and driving. Both shifts have fueled demand for denser, pedestrian-friendly communities.
Cities are booming. Once abandoned by the wealthy, cities are experiencing a renaissance, especially among younger generations and families with young children. At the same time, suburbs across the country have had to confront never-before-seen rates of poverty and crime.
Blending powerful data with vivid on the ground reporting, Gallagher introduces us to a fascinating cast of characters, including the charismatic leader of the anti-sprawl movement; a mild-mannered Minnesotan who quit his job to convince the world that the suburbs are a financial Ponzi scheme; and the disaffected residents of suburbia, like the teacher whose punishing commute entailed leaving home at 4 a.m. and sleeping under her desk in her classroom.
Along the way, she explains why understanding the shifts taking place is imperative to any discussion about the future of our housing landscape and of our society itself-and why that future will bring us stronger, healthier, happier and more diverse communities for everyone.
For nearly 70 years, the suburbs were as American as apple pie. As the middle class ballooned and single-family homes and cars became more affordable, we flocked to pre-fabricated communities in the suburbs, a place where open air and solitude offered a retreat from our dense, polluted cities. Before long, success became synonymous with a private home in a bedroom community complete with a yard, a two-car garage and a commute to the office, and subdivisions quickly blanketed our landscape.
But in recent years things have started to change. An epic housing crisis revealed existing problems with this unique pattern of development, while the steady pull of long-simmering economic, societal and demographic forces has culminated in a Perfect Storm that has led to a profound shift in the way we desire to live.
In The End of the Suburbs journalist Leigh Gallagher traces the rise and fall of American suburbia from the stately railroad suburbs that sprung up outside American cities in the 19th and early 20th centuries to current-day sprawling exurbs where residents spend as much as four hours each day commuting. Along the way she shows why suburbia was unsustainable from the start and explores the hundreds of new, alternative communities that are springing up around the country and promise to reshape our way of life for the better.
Not all suburbs are going to vanish, of course, but Gallagher's research and reporting show the trends are undeniable. Consider some of the forces at work:
The nuclear family is no more: Our marriage and birth rates are steadily declining, while the single-person households are on the rise. Thus, the good schools and family-friendly lifestyle the suburbs promised are increasingly unnecessary.
We want out of our cars: As the price of oil continues to rise, the hours long commutes forced on us by sprawl have become unaffordable for many. Meanwhile, today's younger generation has expressed a perplexing indifference toward cars and driving. Both shifts have fueled demand for denser, pedestrian-friendly communities.
Cities are booming. Once abandoned by the wealthy, cities are experiencing a renaissance, especially among younger generations and families with young children. At the same time, suburbs across the country have had to confront never-before-seen rates of poverty and crime.
Blending powerful data with vivid on the ground reporting, Gallagher introduces us to a fascinating cast of characters, including the charismatic leader of the anti-sprawl movement; a mild-mannered Minnesotan who quit his job to convince the world that the suburbs are a financial Ponzi scheme; and the disaffected residents of suburbia, like the teacher whose punishing commute entailed leaving home at 4 a.m. and sleeping under her desk in her classroom.
Along the way, she explains why understanding the shifts taking place is imperative to any discussion about the future of our housing landscape and of our society itself-and why that future will bring us stronger, healthier, happier and more diverse communities for everyone.
Related to The End the Suburbs
Related audiobooks
The Voucher Promise: "Section 8" and the Fate of an American Neighborhood Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Watchdog: How Protecting Consumers Can Save Our Families, Our Economy, and Our Democracy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMaxed Out: Hard Times, Easy Credit and the Era of Predatory Lenders Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Homelessness is a Housing Problem: How Structural Factors Explain U.S Patterns Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRichistan: A Journey Through the American Wealth Boom and the Lives of the New Rich Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Lies of the Land: Seeing Rural America for What It Is?and Isn't Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I.O.U.: Why Everyone Owes Everyone and No One Can Pay Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Underwater: How Our American Dream of Homeownership Became a Nightmare Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Unfair Trade: How Our Broken Global Financial System Destroys the Middle Class Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5It's Not Over: Getting Beyond Tolerance, Defeating Homophobia, and Winning True Equality Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Sprawl: Reconsidering the Weird American Suburbs Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Oscar Wilde: Art and Morality Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPlenitude: The New Economics of True Wealth Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Does Santa Exist?: A Philosophical Investigation Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Unbound: How Inequality Constricts Our Economy and What We Can Do about It Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThanks for Everything (Now Get Out): Can We Restore Neighborhoods without Destroying Them? Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWe've Got Issues: Children and Parents in the Age of Medication Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Broke, USA: From Pawnshops to Poverty, Inc.-How the Working Poor Became Big Business Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Stand Up!: How to Get Involved, Speak Out, and Win in a World on Fire Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe American Dream: A Short History of an Idea that Shaped a Nation Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Stealth of Nations: The Global Rise of the Informal Economy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Squeezed: Why Our Families Can't Afford America Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Can't Remember What I Forgot: The Good News from the Frontlines of Memory Research Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Money, A Memoir: Women, Emotions, and Cash Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Slice Harvester: A Memoir in Pizza Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Only if They Could Hear Me Cry: A Personal Reflection of Poverty and Homelessness in America Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5The Case for Basic Income: Freedom, Security, Justice Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Business For You
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5How To Win Friends And Influence People Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Getting to Yes: How to Negotiate Agreement Without Giving In Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Becoming Bulletproof: Protect Yourself, Read People, Influence Situations, and Live Fearlessly Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Elon Musk Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The End of the World is Just the Beginning: Mapping the Collapse of Globalization Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Company Rules: Or Everything I Know About Business I Learned from the CIA Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Rich Dad Poor Dad: What The Rich Teach Their Kids About Money - That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Win Every Argument: The Art of Debating, Persuading, and Public Speaking Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Seeing What Others Don't: The Remarkable Ways We Gain Insights Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Artist's Way at Work: Riding the Dragon: Twelve Weeks to Creative Freedom Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Sociopath Next Door: The Ruthless Versus the Rest of Us Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets Of Americas Wealthy Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Your Next Five Moves: Master the Art of Business Strategy Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Charisma Myth: How Anyone Can Master the Art and Science of Personal Magnetism (Intl Ed) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5You Will Own Nothing: Your War with a New Financial World Order and How to Fight Back Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Silva Mind Control Method Of Mental Dynamics Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Anthem Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Anatomy of Peace, Fourth Edition: Resolving the Heart of Conflict Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5How to Manage Your Money When You Don't Have Any Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Summary of Thinking, Fast and Slow: by Daniel Kahneman Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Habit 3 Put First Things First: The Habit of Integrity and Execution Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How To Lie With Statistics Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for The End the Suburbs
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
3/5
2 ratings0 reviews