Shadow Cities: A Billion Squatters, a New Urban World

by Robert Neuwirth

Book Overview

In almost every country of the developing world, the most active builders are squatters, creating complex local economies with high rises, shopping strips, banks, and self-government. As they invent... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0415953618
• Release Date: December 2004
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 344 Pages
• Weight: 1.22 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.8" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

Myths are dispelled and realities outlined

SHADOW CITIES: A BILLION SQUATTERS, A NEW URBAN WORLD confronts the issue of nations of squatters. Cities are home to a billion such squatters and that number is projected to double in a generation, so any college-level student of urban planning needs to understand the experiences, issues and results herein. Reporter Robert Neuwirth spent two years living in squatter neighborhoods on four continents, so his exploration comes not just from an outsider's perspective, but from one who has lived amongst them. Myths are dispelled and realities outlined in a hard-hitting consideration of facts and social issues. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch

Excellent read

This is one of the best books I have read in a while. The author - Robert Neuwirth - lived in four slum areas in or near major cities in the third world and then reported what he found. Neuwirth seems to have a unique knack for putting threads of stories together in a way that produces a compelling and fascinating tale. He reports bits and pieces of information received from local squatters, landlords, politicians, social activists, etc., and put together a story that seems so complete that you feel that you have the "feel" of life in these places. The book does have weaknesses. His historical accounts of slums strike the reader as piecemeal and thrown together. The portions of the book which deal with various proposed solutions fail to even discuss the significance of overpopulation in the etiology of slum development. But I gave the book four stars nonetheless. Neuwirth's first hand account of slum life in the modern world is almost spellbinding. Contrary to what one would expect, the book is not just an endless recitation of privation and poverty. The "slums" that he describes contain tales of triumph as well as oppression; ingenuity as well as exploitation. The book celebrates the human spirit as well as it pointing out its sins. Some of things reported in the book will surprise. For instance, the Brazilian "slum" of Rocinha is so vibrantly alive, one almost feels envious of those who reside there. Similarly, the tenacity of slum-dwellers in confronting adversity is often breathtaking. Then again, on the other hand, the brutal exploitation of the poor by people only slightly more advantaged is a disheartening commentary on the human race. Overall, this is quite a tale. Robert Neuwirth's book is a great read and well worth the time and the price.

Should be required reading for anyone going to a developing country.

This is a great read. Neuwirth presents plenty of anecdotes and moving stories about people who he obviously respects and cares for. This book is a cure for the errors of both left- and right-leaning travelers. For those who want to sweep in and save the slum dwellers, he makes it quite clear that intervention is often the worst thing you can do for the people you're trying to help. For those who think slum dwellers are lazy criminals, he presents real stories of real people living courageously and honestly in difficult conditions. He addresses the good and bad sides to squatter life and admits there are no easy answers. My only complaints are that Neuwirth isn't so good at writing gripping history - I got bored and slightly confused in the section on the history of squatting in the US - and there were inexcusably many typos. Although the history sections weren't well written, they provided important context and addressed an issue I have often wondered about. Unfortunately, Neuwirth missed the opportunity to really delve into how the developing world grew out of the squatter phase - the section left you actually mourning the passage of a romantic era when anyone could build for himself, rather than with lessons from history which could inform efforts in the developing world.

An engrossing documentary concerning shantytowns

Investigative reporter Rober Neuwirth personally spent two years living in squatter neighborhoods on four continents, and from that experience presents Shadow Cities: A Billion Squatters, A New Urban World an engrossing documentary concerning shantytowns and those who live within them - estimated to be a billion individuals, and projected to grow to two billion. Though shantytowns are feared as centers of decay and lawlessness, Neuwirth discovered thriving and vital communities striving to build liveable quarters in an era when private developers charge far more than individuals can afford. One squatter home in Rio de Janeiro is a three-room apartment with tile floors, a full bathroom, an eat-in kitchen, electricity, running water, and a balcony with a view of the ocean. Though Shadow Cities understands that the reality of squatters may be gritty, it reveals hope in the character of those who live humbly, and reveals that squatters will build vibrant neighborhoods without private titles as long as they know they are not subject to eviction. A probing and highly recommended scrutiny of all dimensions of a critical worldwide phenomenon.

Building the Cities of Tomorrow

A billion squatters living around the world and the number is growing. This book gives us a glimpse into the day-to-day life of 4 distinct squatter communities: Rocinha (Rio de Janeiro); Southland (Nairobi, Kenya); Squatter Colony (Mumbai {Bombay}); and Sultanbeyli (Istanbul). Taking up residency in these neighborhoods, the author found not only the most dismal of living conditions (piles of trash lining the streets; no running water, sewers or toilets), he also found lively, hard-working, resourceful and optimistic inhabitants. What surprised me most was learning that many of those who live in these squatter communities actually prefer to live there rather than to be relocated to government housing. For example, in one area of Rio, there is a city housing project which consists of concrete apartment buildings. The buildings themselves are crumbling and the grounds are littered with garbage and broken glass. There is a sense of hopelessness. In contrast, living in a squatter town, one is not restricted to a single concrete room. One can build a mud hut initially and enlarge, upgrade or even tear down and rebuild in brick or wood. If one is resourceful, one can build an extra room to rent out or even open a business. This gives a squatter a sense of pride and a sense of being in control of his own destiny. This is not a romanticized look at squatters, though. Much is said of the opposition these residents face at the hands of the the politicians, the land developers, the wealthy, and the press. Problems with crime and drugs are also addressed. But it would be hard to walk away from this book and not feel sympathy and respect for these people. The number of squatters living in these communities worldwide is expected to reach 2 billion by 2030. That is roughly 1 in 4 people on earth. Perhaps that alone is reason enough to become aware and informed on this subject. A very interesting book. Illustrated with black and white photographs.