The Story of the City

A fascinating adventure through the history of cities, from their origins to their future.

Have you ever looked at the towers, houses, bridges and parks around you, and wondered how they got there? The answer is in the greatest experiment in human history—the city.

In The Story of the City, urban historian Leo Hollis takes readers on a captivating journey through the history of cities, from the first settlements in ancient Mesopotamia to the megacities of today. This isn't just a story about concrete and steel, but about the people who dreamed, built, and shaped the places that more than half of the people on Earth call home.

Learn about the inventor of the elevator, the urban planner who reforged Paris, the construction workers who built the Empire State Building, and other extraordinary characters who have left an indelible mark on our urban landscape. Discover how innovations like the safety elevator, the sewer, and the car reshaped city living, while also creating challenges for the future.