Shock Cities

"This work is the first transatlantic study to examine the industrial city in holistic terms, looking at the transformation of its land, water, and air. Harold L. Platt demonstrates how the creation of industrial ecologies spurred the reorganization of urban areas into separate spheres, unhealthy slums in the center and garden estates in the suburbs. By comparing Chicago and Manchester, Platt also shows how the ruling classes managed the political manipulation of urban space to ensure financial gain - often to the environmental detriment of both regions." "Shock Cities recasts the age of industry within a larger frame of nature. It will be of value to students of ecology, technology, and public health in the Western world."--Jacket.