Ebook The Origins of the Urban Crisis Race and Inequality in Postwar Detroit Updated Edition Princeton Classics Thomas J Sugrue 9780691162553 Books

Product details Series Princeton Classics (Book 6) Paperback 432 pages Publisher Princeton University Press; Revised edition (April 27, 2014) Language English ISBN-10 0691162557

The Origins of the Urban Crisis Race and Inequality in Postwar Detroit Updated Edition Princeton Classics Thomas J Sugrue 9780691162553 Books Reviews

• I really enjoyed this book. It opened my eyes to how little I know about some of the details of American history. The content of the book is especially relevant after the surprise Trump victory in the recent election. If you are interested understanding how American cities developed after world war 2, this is a must read!
  
  I only gave the book four stars because it feels scattered at times in the way it moved through history and across topics.
  
  As noted by other reviewers, sometimes the book is heavy on fact and light on a higher level organizations. A theme of the book is that the story is in the details. Yet the details are hard to make sense of without a little more overarching structure or narrative.
• It often seemed repetitive and disorganized. If it were not for these minor shortcomings, it would deserve five stars. As stated, the information is terrific, especially for a lifelong Michigander such as myself. It reveals the underlying and fundamental issues that have plagued Detroit for nearly a century. Sugrue does so through the corporate, economic, societal, racial, organizational, religious, and governmental roles. All of his facts and statistics are cited extensively. In short, if you are interested in such topics, The Origins of Urban Crisis is for you!
• This may be quite the eye opener for you, or for some may just validate what they knew all along. Institutional racism and segregation destroyed Detroit. It's a somewhat difficult path to follow and for a lot of people they may not be able to comprehend or believe a lot of things in the book. I know I have trouble explaining it to people who say things like, "It's just their own fault," because it's an intricate tale full of subtleties in cities all over the country.
• I dont agree with Sugrue's politics but i like his books.
  This is a fantastic read and it is well researched. It is a must read for those interested in civil rights, labor history, and post-war history.
  You dont have to agree with all of his politics but his conclusions for the most part are spot on.
  Fantastic read on labor migration.
  One of the good ones.
• Since Detroit declared bankruptcy there have been all manner of reasons put forward as to why this happened. Everything from political incompetence and corruption to failed liberal policies and the decline of the industrial sector in the United States. This book argues that all of these theories are both right and wrong and that in many respects, Detroit was set up to be a poster child of urban rust belt decay decades ago. The author starts with Detroit during WWII at its height. Event then he argues that the seeds of the eventual troubles were evident. One reason is the housing patterns in the city. Detroit had a sever shortage of housing during the war but due to racist policies for housing, high density apartments were not constructed due to fears that they would house the growing black population in the city that was being attracted in due to high paying defense jobs. Instead what was built was a series of low density neighborhoods that consisted of white only single family houses. The black population was left in horribly overcrowded substandard housing in certain parts of the inner city. This caused the city to sprawl out for miles and to have a large number of aging houses that would begin to be abandoned with the move to the suburbs and the decline in the city's population in subsequent decades. Detroit would eventually be hemmed in by surrounding suburbs that filled up with a white flight population that followed industry that was leaving the city center to get away from aging industrial infrastructure and unions. The city proper would be left industry less with a mostly black population that due to discrimination was not allowed t move out to the suburbs in the same way and would have fewer and fewer job opportunities in the city.
  
  What is most interesting and disheartening about this book is how race was a major factor in the failure of the city. It is not surprising that race was a factor in housing and employment in Detroit. This is something that can be said about many cities. What is surprising is how it shaped Detroit from early on in its history. The current race politics in the city, which is now majority black, has been mentioned in several news stories about the current crisis. But it needs to be pointed out that the current situation is not an accident of random chance and fate. But rather the result of deliberate policies of housing, employment and urban planning. In all of these race was a major factor. This book does a very good job of providing some context to the current situation in Detroit and while it does not mention it specifically it set the stage for understanding the current crisis.
• On of the most important books ever written on the meaning/ consequence/effects of racial discrimination and class discrimination. Also one of the best books ever written on Detroit for those who truly want to understand 'how we got here'.
• The after effects of racism and inequality is something that all of us human beings, regardless of skin color or station in life, will have to deal with. When you take away a man's right to live where he pleases, or keeps him from earning a living and be able to take care of his family, when you thwart his every attempt to rise above his circumstances and try to keep him where you believe he should be, you will have to deal with the consequences. Sustained mistreatment breeds anger that seethes and becomes consuming. The adject racism was too much to read about at times. To think that people have such a high opinion of themselves where they feel justified to discriminate against a whole culture of people is mind-boggling. The decline of Detroit is just the beginning. I always believed that America could be so much greater if people would realize that we are all human beings. We all think the same, we all want the same things - safe neighborhoods, safe schools, no violence, shelter, access to healthcare, good food and good paying jobs to take care of our families and educate our children. The city of Detroit is a sad reminder that man is its own worse enemy. I had wondered for years what exactly happened to cause such a vibrant city like Detroit to now look like a small third world country within the United States. I understand it now and it is so sad. America can do so much better.