In a captivating tour of cities famous and forgotten acclaimed historian Ben Wilson tells the glorious millenniaspanning story how urban living sparked humankinds greatest innovations. A towering achievement. . . . Reading this book is like visiting an exhilarating city for the first timedazzling. The Wall Street Journal During the two hundred millennia of humanitys existence nothing has shaped us more profoundly than the city. From their very beginnings cities created such a flourishing of human endeavornew professions new forms of art worship and tradethat they kickstarted civilization. Guiding us through the centuries Wilson reveals the innovations nurtured by the inimitable energy of human beings together civics in the agora of Athens global trade in ninthcentury Baghdad finance in the coffeehouses of London domestic comforts in the heart of Amsterdam peacocking in Belle poque Paris. In the modern age the skyscrapers of New York City inspired utopian visions of community design while the trees of twentyfirstcentury Seattle and Shanghai point to a sustainable future in the age of climate change. Pageturning irresistible and rich with engrossing detail Metropolis is a brilliant demonstration that the story of human civilization is the story of cities. show more