Hello 👋 Here are a few books that I've read recently that I've really enjoyed! I find that taking the time to summarize books can help with my comprehension.

Zoned in the USA: The Origins and Implications of American Land-Use Regulation
Sonia Hirt
Nonfiction
Urbanism

Zoning, the practice of dividing land into numerous "zones" and using regulation to dictate what can be built in each zone, is used across the world to control how cities are built. If you compare Europe to the United States though, it's very obvious that something is different. Single-family homes seem to hold a special place in American society. If you look deeper into this, you'll find zoning by-laws that enforce homogeneous zones of single-family homes. Why exactly did this happen?

In Zoned in the USA, Sonia Hirt does a deep dive into the history of zoning and tries to explain how America became the way it is today. When you first think about zoning, you might wonder how such rules could be upheld in a society that values freedom over everything else. Sonia argues that advocates overcome initial aversion by convincing the public that zoning would not threaten American's "limited government" ideal, would protect the value of private property and would protect the much-adored single-family home.

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Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
Atul Gawande
Nonfiction
Medicine
Being Mortal is the story of growing old and dealing with the challenges that life throws at you. Along the way, you also dive into modern geriatric practices. You hear the stories of the elderly trying manage the afflictions of old age and realize how important it is for them to hold onto their independence for as long as possible. Finally, Gawande makes the story personal and tells the story of his own fathers fight with cancer. He teaches you how important it is, as one ages, to discuss one's priorities with loved ones and your doctor. Modern medicine can always offer a miracle, but at what cost?
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Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time
Jeff Speck
Nonfiction
Urbanism
The way we build cities has a big impact on the way we live. Do you live in a suburb and travel, by car, to your workplace on a daily basis? Or, can you walk to your workplace and run other errands on foot? Today, we don't seem to build cities like we used to, especially in North America. This isn't true everywhere though. In Europe and Asia, we see many cities, old and new, that are extremely walkable. Jeff Speck, an American city planner, writes about *how* we can make American cities and towns more walkable. This may sound simplistic but the implications of making a city more walkable are profound. A \"walkable\" city is one where people less car dependant, healthier, richer and have a smaller environmental impact. Meanwhile, the city itself becomes a more desirable place to live. If you want to improve the city you live in, definitely give this book a read.
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