An entertaining and well written examination of Vancouver, British Columbia, its place in the hearts of urban planners and designers, and how it got there.

Modelled explicitly on Reyner Banham’s Los Angeles, which I bought years ago and still haven’t gotten around to reading.

Lots of excellent maps and photographs, which are, unfortunately all black and white.

I lived in Vancouver for four years (before moving to, of all places, Southern California), so this book is both fascinating in its comparisons between L.A. and Vancouver and depressing as it reminds me of how wonderful the city is.