Shadow Cities by Robert Neuwirth

Picture of a slum in Bombay



From "The Current" at CBC.ca:

Here in North America, affordable housing is a cause celebre to activists, a bargaining chip for politicians and almost impossible to find for those who need it. And squatters, well, depending on whom you talk to, they're either anarchists, criminals or just a nuisance.

Robert Neuwirth found that it's a very different story in the big cities of the developing world. He went to live in the burgeoning and bustling squatter cities in the sprawling metropolises of Rio de Janeiro, Nairobi, Mumbai and Istanbul. He rented his temporary homes from other squatters, ate in their restaurants and used their latrines. His new book, Shadow Cities: A Billion Squatters, A New Urban World, chronicles his experiences in these illegal settlements among the fastest-growing urban communities in the world.

Also read what Boing Boing had to say about his book here

WorldChanging also has a very informative piece on Neuwirth's book here.