Why Is One Chicago Neighborhood Twice as Deadly as Another?

Published in 1961, 'The Death and Life of Great American Cities' is a seminal work by Jane Jacobs that critiques the urban planning policies of the 1950s. Jacobs argues against the modernist urban renewal practices that separated uses and led to the decline of city neighborhoods. She advocates for dense, mixed-use development, walkable streets, and the importance of 'eyes on the street' to maintain public order. The book emphasizes the complexity of urban life and the need for planning that prioritizes the needs and experiences of residents. Jacobs uses her own neighborhood, Greenwich Village, as a model for a healthy and vibrant urban environment, contrasting it with the urban renewal projects championed by figures like Robert Moses[2][3][5].

In this book, Sendhil Mullainathan and Eldar Shafir reveal that scarcity, whether of time, money, or social connections, creates a similar psychology for everyone struggling to manage with less than they need. The authors discuss how scarcity leads to tunnel vision, reduces cognitive bandwidth, and affects decision-making. They provide examples such as why busy people mismanage their time, why dieters struggle with temptation, and why poverty persists. The book also offers insights into how individuals and organizations can better manage scarcity for greater satisfaction and success.

In this book, Daniel Kahneman takes readers on a tour of the mind, explaining how the two systems of thought shape our judgments and decisions. System 1 is fast, automatic, and emotional, while System 2 is slower, effortful, and logical. Kahneman discusses the impact of cognitive biases, the difficulties of predicting future happiness, and the effects of overconfidence on corporate strategies. He offers practical insights into how to guard against mental glitches and how to benefit from slow thinking in both personal and business life. The book also explores the distinction between the 'experiencing self' and the 'remembering self' and their roles in our perception of happiness.