For the Love of Cities

The Award-Winning Book Returns - Updated, Revised and Expanded!

The mutual love affair between people and their place is one of the most powerful influences in our lives, yet rarely thought of in terms of a relationship. As cities come to think of themselves as engaged in a relationship with their residents, and residents begin to consider their emotional connections with their places, we open up new possibilities in community, social and economic development by including the most powerful of motivators - the human heart - in our toolkit of place-making.

Here we will explore what makes cities lovable, what motivates ordinary people to do extraordinary things for their places and how some cities are using that energy to fill in the gaps that "official" city makers have left as resources disappeared. Meet the amazing people who are truly in love with their cities and learn how they are the key resource to the future development of our communities.

"Peter's book takes the age old notion that love is a powerful, but intangible force and completely turns it on its head by uniquely illustrating the impact human emotion can have on our cities. I strongly recommend For the Love of Cities to all local leaders and anyone who is looking for creative solutions to the challenges facing America's cities."

Buddy Dyer, Mayor of Orlando, Florida

"When it comes to making places better, there are so many things we can do beyond those conventionally labeled as 'planning.' Most of them involve not the hardware of cities but the software - people. And the best of them are on display in this remarkable book."

Jeff Speck, AICP, author of Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America One Step at a Time

"In this book, Peter goes 'next level' and shows us HOW and WHY our placemaking process can help residents and visitors fall in love with your city all over again. This book is for activists, engineers, planners and community leaders committed to transforming their communities."

Rebecca Ryan, APF - Futurists/Economist, NEXT Generation Consulting

"The book is a love note from Author Peter Kageyama to cities everywhere that will prompt you to more closely examine your own relationship with where you live, work and play."

Diane Egner

Publisher and Managing Editor, 83 Degrees Media

Former Book Editor, The Tampa Tribune

"What Kageyama has done is to introduce the vital piece into the urban discussion- the matter of love; the piece without which all city building must fail, for "love" the corner stone of civic citizenship. It takes some bravura and acumen to champion the subject of love in the urban forum that wants to quantify, when only love qualifies and justifies the discussion of cities. Mr. Kageyama goes one step further. He provides precious indicators. Many city thinkers will foll...