Berkeley Planning Journal

"In a calorie-conscious word, sprawl beckons like a hot fudge sundae," begins Anthony Flint in This Land: The Battle over Sprawl and the Future of America, his analysis of the different forces that shape land use patterns in the United States. Although there has been an urban renaissance in the past 20 years, low-density suburban development still remains incredibly popular. People continue to want a suburban lifestyle despite the negative impacts of long commutes on the workday, as well as environmental and travel costs. In this clear, well-written overview of the sprawl debate, Flint reveals the array of voices as well as the imminent importance of these issues as we face population growth, global warming, and development that show no signs of stopping in the twenty-first century.