'Contemporary cities are of at least two kinds: those that are vibrant and growing and those that are lagging. While this is nothing new the reasons are, at least in part, different than in past generations. This book is a collection of 'modern classics' about the forces of growth in the late 20th and early 21st century in general and more specifically in agglomerated concentrations including cities. Human capital, agglomeration, knowledge spread or spillovers, industrial clusters, concentration of creative people, and global competition driven by a huge expansion of low cost labor and explosive innovation all play a role. The book provides most of the best material that has been published on these topics and their role in city growth and decline. It is a collection all students of the city and growth should have in their personal library.'