If you can read french, there is a very comprehensive book on the topic by Paul Bairoch called "De Jéricho à Mexico: villes et économie dans l'histoire". I would definitely recommend it!

Dear Rémi,

Thank You very much for your suggestion.

My French is not fluent but there is here one more chance to learn!

I take this opportunity to say that your papers are excellent!

Best Regards,

Vanessa

I would also recommend the book of Bairoch, detailed and easy to read. By searching on the Web I saw that an English version has been published in 1991 at University of Chicago Press:

Cities and Economic Development: From the Dawn of History to the Present.

A Spanish version seems also to exist.

Catherine Coquery-Vidrovitch published a book in 1993 by Albin Michel, Paris, about the history of African cities, also in French:

Histoire des villes d'Afrique noire : Des origines à la colonisation.

These are the first references in my mind. By searching by continent, notably in English and in French, you will find many other references about urban history or history of the cities.

Dear Dr.Patrick,

I did not know the books that you indicated and I will look for them. They will be very useful.

Thank You very much for Your time and knowledge.

Best Regards,

Vanessa  

Two good books about history of cities:

- "History of Urban Form: Before the Industrial Revolution" (AEJ Morris)

- "Historia del urbanismo en Europa, 1750-1960" (Benedetto Gravagnuolo)

Dear Husik,

This book I know and it's really an excellent book!

Thank You very much for Your suggestion.

Best Regards,

Vanessa

Dear Unai,

I'm writing down !!!

You can be sure that both will be very useful.

Thank You very much!

Best Regards,

Vanessa

Dear Vanessa,

I recommend you a book of Peter Hall : „Cities in Civilization“.

Dear Arar,

I agree with You; this is a great, complete and interesting book!

I’m glad with your reply. Thank You very much. I’m writing all recommendations!

All the best,

Vanessa

Dear Eraldo,

This is in my opinion, the second most interesting book on "history of cities."

I appreciate your attention and as I said to colleague Arar, I am very happy with Your collaboration.

It is already on my list!

Thank You very much.

All the best!

Vanessa

Ancient History Encyclopedia is a non-profit educational website with a global vision: to provide the best ancient history information on the internet for free. We can search any city.

http://www.ancient.eu/

Dear Vanessa,

I recommend Gerald Burke's City in the Making'

Thanks.

Dear Vanessa,

I recommend Gerald Burke's City in the Making'

Thanks.

I would like also to recommend a book The City in History: Its Origins, Its Transformations, and Its Prospects, by Lewis Mumford.

He traces the history of cities back to their origins in Mesopotamia, exploring how they evolved out of villages into walled fortresses. 

A most useful guide is Kevin Lynch's A Theory of Good City Form (Cambridge, MA, MIT Press, 1981). Lynch offers five basic dimensions of city performance: vitality, sense, fit, access, and control. To these he adds two "meta-criteria," efficiency and justice.

Dear Dr. Krishnan,

I didn't know this encyclopedia and in a quick consultation, I've seen I will have much to explore and learn from it!!

Thank You very much for your always constructive and very useful collaboration!

All the best!

Vanessa

Dear Dr. Samuel

I agree with your indication. This is a great book which completes the historical view approached by other books!

Thank You very much for your attention and suggestion! You can be sure that it is already on my list of best books on the theme!

All the best!

Vanessa

Dear Dr. Amir,

I agree with You: Lewis Munford is a great expert in the area. His books are the basis for any study of the history of cities and urbanism!

It is noted! Thank You very much, again, I don't expect that all of You would support my question!

All the best!

Vanessa

Dear Dr. Marwan,

Very well remembered! I can not make a list without including the work of Kevin Lynch!

Thank You very much for your time and important indication!

With the assistance of all of You, I'm building an excellent list of references!

All the best!

Vanessa

Although perhaps not the "best book on histories of cities", I recommend City of Quartz by Mike Davis.  Don't let the mild polemics get in the way of a fabulous read about the history of Los Angeles, surely one of the great prototype cities extant. Davis' typologies provoked lots of thoughts about what cities can and should be.

As ever,

Richard

Dear Dr Sayed,

How many books! The work of Peter Hall I already know and it is excellent! His approach of history and urban planning is very interesting.

Carter's work I don't know but I'm looking to buy it.

But what I most liked was the book by Ramachandran, I hope to accomplish by amazon. I am very interested and I'm sure it will be very important for my work and learning!

Thank You very much!

Best Regards,

Vanessa

Dear Barbara,

I really like Leonardo Benevolo. It was with his books that I began my studies at  master's degree.

Spiro Kostof I don't know, but for Your comments I'm sure that should be obligatory read his book and I will try to buy it.

You as always, share your knowledge with much kindness!

Thank You very much for adding the opinions of the reviewers!

All the best!

Vanessa

Dear Richard,

I don't know this book but I am curious to read it and I know I will learn a lot. I also think Los Angeles wonderful!

I am very grateful for Your indication and You can be sure that I will seek the book and it's already on my list!

Thank You very much!

All the best!

Vanessa

P.S. I apologize for my English.

Dear Vanessa:

It's great to read the value of books of which I had forgotten.

Thank you for remembering and for all the new recommendations!

I think the most famous one is by Ibn Khaldun. He has a very reputable book. It is "the Muqaddimah of Ibn Khaldun". This person has travelled thousands of miles and visited many countries and cites to write his famous book "the Muqaddimah of Ibn Khaldun". Some modern thinkers view this book as the first work dealing with the philosophy of history or the social sciences of sociology, demography, historiography, cultural history and economics.

Dear Dr. Mohammad,

 I believe it is a great book. I am  interested in the history of  Your region.

From what You say, the focus is extensive and detailed. I'll search for it and add it to my list!

Thank You very much for your interest in answering my question. It was a great indication!

All the best!

Vanessa

Dear Vanessa,

Please find attached the book "the Muqaddimah of Ibn Khaldun".

Regards

For medieval period, I would recommend K. Lilley's "Urban life in the Middle Ages"...

Dear Amir,

I know You are an expert in this area (among others) and I am very grateful your attention!

I 'll begin to read the book this weekend!

Thank You very much for your time and knowledge!

All the best!

Vanessa

Dear Irena,

I didn't read this book yet, but I will search for it!

Thank you very much!

Kind Regards,

Vanessa

P.S. your papers are very interesting!

Dear Arjun,

Very interests me the architecture and history of India.

Thank You very much for another great indication!

All the best!

Vanessa

Dear Dr. Gerhard,

I am pleased with your opinion. I really learned a lot from the book of Leonardo Benevolo.

Take this opportunity to say that your papers will be very important for my study!

Thank You very much for your reply.

Best Regards,

Vanessa

One question: The history of cities or the history of planning?

Well, I think it's impossible find one single book about this fundamental issue that is the planning of our built environment. There is not only one best book, but many. And I just began with Benevolo, when I was young. It was a very clever book, but from an architectural point of view. And now? What books do we have?

Now, I'm on the point of my retire, after a life working about planning and planning theories, about its meanings, hopes and fears, I can suggest a paragraph in (Marescotti 2008) 3.8.1. Identità disciplinare e storia dell’urbanistica, where you can find my approach to history in planning (write me, if you can't find it).

And now I want recommend a series about planning published in Italy by Laterza, but really I suggest you to begin from the beginning, from Ur, Uruk, Ebla and from Greece, the antique greek cities:

(Matthiae 2010)

(Liverani 2006)

(Liverani 1998)

Best regards

Liverani, Mario. 1998. Uruk: la prima città. Roma: Laterza.

———. 2006. Antico Oriente: Storia, società, economia. Roma-Bari: Laterza.

Marescotti, Luca. 2008. Urbanistica. Fondamenti e teoria. Sant’Arcangelo di Romagna: Maggioli.

Matthiae, Paolo. 2010. Ebla. La città del trono. Archeologia e storia. Torino: Einaudi.

Dear Dr. Luca,

I would say both: the history of the cities with emphasis on planning.

Thank You very much for your detailed list. They will be very useful! The Italian authors have  tradition on excellent books about this area.

If I don't  find the books that You indicated  i'll ask help.

Again, thank You.

Best Regards,

Vanessa

Dear Vanessa, you may want to check out: "Gottdiener, M.; Hutchison, R. (2006): The New Urban Sociology. Boulder." - I recommend it to anyone I know - friends, colleagues, students - who may be interested in cities and their histories (in terms of societies and space). Cheers!

Dear Mark,

I don't know this book but I will look for it.

Thank You very much!

All the best,

Vanessa

Dear Vanessa,

A useful book is The Rise of Cities in North-West Europe by  Adriaan Verhulst (1999).

Best,

Aurelian

I agree with Aurelian about the Verhulst's book...

best

Irena

Dear Plopeanu,

I'm learning a lot with this question and in special with your suggestion.

I diidn´t know this book and will search for it.

Thank You very much!

Thank also Irena!

Happy 2015!

Happy 2015 to you too, Vanessa!

Jericho may be the oldest continually occupied spot in the world, with settlements dating to 9000 BC. The city, nestled between the Dead Sea and Mt. Nebo, had natural irrigation from the Jordan River and the best known oasis in the region. The springs allowed residents to grow the highly lucrative opobalsamum plant, which produced the most expensive oil in the ancient world. It is described in the Old Testament as the "City of Palm Trees."

http://www.businessinsider.in/The-16-Greatest-Cities-In-Human-History/Jericho-was-the-biggest-city-in-the-world-in-7000-BC-with-2000-citizens/slideshow/21435858.cms

Dear Vanessa, dear all,

Krishnan posed a big problem: what do we really mean by city? Jericho and Ur: what are the differences or what are the differences between a village and a city? And what about the urban revolution in the Fertile Crescent? So I suggest a short fundamental paper for the planning knowledge: Vere Gordon Childe, (1950) The Urban Revolution. Town Planning Review 21:3-17. And a commentary half a century after: Michael E. Smith, “V. Gordon Childe and the Urban Revolution: An Historical Perspective on a Revolution in Urban Studies,” Town Planning Review 80 (2009) 3-29.

You can find them in web.

 Dear Krishnan,

Colacação excellent as always! Thanks for the link! It has everything to do with what I'm studying.

Thank You very much!

Happy 2015

Vanessa

Dear Luca,

Thank You very much! I'm glad because the discussion has generated many other questions and suggestins that is being immensely useful for my learning.

I'll look for the papers.

I take this opportunity to apologize for not realized before that a publications listed in another email was Yours. I ask that if You can, keep sending informations that are excellent.

Again, thank You very much.

Happy 2015!

Vanessa

Dar Vanessa,

No problems at all for both items. You have not to apologize, it was not so clear and if you have other questions, don't hesitate: it's a pleasure to reply you.

And you too: happy 2015 between your works and your curiosity!

Luca

Good Morning

I ask if possible to find those books that I think rightly interesting for your question. Sincerely

Du milieu a l'environnement : pratiques et représentations du rapport homme/nature depuis la Renaissance par de Robic, Marie - Claire

Dear Fadel,

I have certain that the book that You indicated will help a lot my research (and Your papers are helping too!)

Thank You very much!

Best Regards,

Vanessa

Dear Vanessa

About the book you mentioned, I have not read. I did a little research for you, I found a partial bibliography Enrico Iachello, March 2006, Palermo, Italy. is not complete I send you as an attached file. You can also visit: www.cddp91.ac-versailles.fr/spip.php? article345  which deals Bibliograhy "Bibliographie et sitographie sur le thème « Histoire des villes ».

 Best Regards

FADEL Djamel

Dear Fadel,

Again, thank You very much for Your knowledge and kindness. I'll read the file.

All the best,

Vanessa

As everyone can see, urban planning is a mess. In truth it does not happen only in urbanism, but here where there is no any scientific statute, everyone writes everything that is in his mind and no one has a compass for orientation. So, what to do, if not to start from a big picture? it is true, but how to build it? I tried it for a lifetime, but it is very, really hard.

The second step would be the sharing of ideas and criticism, but too often there is only silence.

Planners prefer to assert themselves and not the discipline. Others choose the book that the case has put in our hands and are happy.

Mumford pontificates, but belongs to the past, Lynch is not at all interested in urban planning, if not in architectural forms. Another is interested in small town in a region, but the world is vast.

This round of reviews is really interesting.

But I have a question: who are the best regional and town planners in the world? from Imhotep and Djoser, up to Haussmann and Napoleon III, and still to this day. Or only the modern ones.

Dear Luca,

I agree with your point of view.

And the most publicized books are not always the best. The information in this area are many and sometimes unsteady.

Another point is that lack analysis consider also Latin America.

How to direct this theme so that all the works meet a certain logic?

Thank You very much!

Vanessa

 Dear Shaban,

Yes I agree, Lewis Mumford has great books about the "city".

Thank You for your help!

Have a nice week,

Vanessa 

How Cities Come Alive: A Book Review of “Life Between Buildings”

People and buildings are connected – they have been and will continue to be so. Life Between Buildings: Using Public Space is a classic that applies substance and quantitative research to the field of urban planning. Jan Gehl, author of Cities for People, takes his analysis beyond urban design to talk about how public spaces are actually used, why, and what designers can do to improve cities.

http://www.globalsiteplans.com/environmental-design/urban-planning-and-design/how-cities-come-alive-a-book-review-of-life-between-buildings/

Dear Vanessa,

It really depends on what you are looking for as to the focus of the book. I would agree with all of the suggestions given so far. 

For myself personally the book is The body and the City, (1996) authored by Steve Pile. The book is a psychoanalytic analysis of the dialectics between a social actor, society, and physical space. The book is based on the work of Henri Lefebvre, Freud, and Jacques Lacan.

Douglas

Vanessa,

that's a tricky question.

For now, I'm very motivated by the Flesh and Stone: the body and the city in Western civilization by Richard Sennett. He brings contribuition of the cities in time by the perspective of the human body, including smells and tastes, sex behaviour, and other different aspects.

But the classics like Mumford are very welcome also.

Dear Douglas,

I’m not an expert in History so, for me “The history of cities” mixture culture, historical facts, urbanism and all social and economic issues.

Therefore, for me, your book is a great suggestion!

Thank You very much,

Best Regards,

Vanessa

Dear Bruno,

I haven't read this book yet And  now, I will read!

Thank You very much!

Best Regards,

Vanessa

Dear Krishnan,

Your suggestion includes everything that happens in cities. Excellent (as always!)

Thank You very much,

Best wishes,

Vanessa

Dear Shaban,

Yes it is a great book! Thank You very much.

Dear Cecilia,

Yes, i like Spanish. Thank You very much. It will be very useful.

Best wishes to All,

Vanessa

Dear Bimo,

Beautiful book! Excellent, I agree with You. Thank You very much! Vanessa

Another book by Leonardo Benévolo that helped me  when I went of Civil engineering to urban engineering was:

The European City, 1995, Wiley-Blackwell

5 cities that rule the world-for its thesis that cities were the cradles for world-changing ideas. The history of cities was also inextricably linked to the history of ideas, which like good cities, tend to weather the ravages of time.

http://www.amazon.com/Five-Cities-that-Ruled-World/dp/1595551360

Dear  Shian-Loong Bernard,

Thank You very much for the recommendation of this book detailing important cities. I didn't know it and I will look for.

Best Regards,

Vanessa

It is not easy to find books that detail the history of Latin American cities. These two books, although don't focus the "city" only on the architectural and urban point of view, provide important descriptions of cities, especially in South América.

A History of Latin America by Benjamin Keen,Keith Haynes, 2012.

and,

A History of Modern Latin America by Lawrence A. Clayton, 2004.

I tell students that the best book in everyone's life - this is your life. Live honestly and truthfully, perfection, travel to other cities and countries to explore the world, people pass new knowledge, love nature and people who are creating one in this world.

Dear Vladimir,

Thank You very much for your always wise words!

All the best,

Vanessa

Dear Vanessa,

Thanks for sharing insight on book related to history of cities.And if you are interested in economic geography, I would recommend a book titled The Spatial Economy: Cities, Regions and International Trade, September 1,2001 by Masahisa Fujita, Paul Krugman and Anthony J.Venables.

Dear Choen,

Thank You very much! I'll search for It.

_____

Another recent book that interesting me:

Cities of Tomorrow: An Intellectual History of Urban Planning and Design in the Twentieth Century, ed.  Paperback by Peter Hall, 2002

Although concentrated in the twentieth century is an interesting approach of urban design cities.

One of the best books I've read "The Book of Cyrus the Great," is

Dear Sayed,

This book is really great and is a good suggestion about city planning in the twentieth century!

Thank You very much!

Dear Saeed,

I'll read this book. Thank You very much for Your suggestion.

________________

About urbanism and history in Brazil, I recommend:

A Brief History of Brazil by Teresa A. Meade, that mix various aspects of Brazil and Its development.

take a look here: Consciousness and the Urban Experience: Studies in the History and Theory of Capitalist Urbanization by David Harvey

Ancient Dwaraka City

Dwarka has always been the most important pilgrimage centre on the western coast of India. The Dwarka, being the western gateway of India through which trade entered the country, was always prosperous and wealthy. Ancient economics apart, Dwarka was and still remains a place of tremendous religious importance to Hindus and a much safer place.

http://www.hinduwisdom.info/Dwaraka.htm#d w a r a k a

Kota Gresik 1896-1916: Sejarah Sosial Budaya dan Ekonomi

by Oemar Zainuddin

Despite the books of Benevolo and Mumford, I would like to add the «Design of Cities» from Edmund N. Bacon (1967), Penguin book

Dear Panos,

Thank You very much! I agree that this book is very importante for the point of view of urban economy, which ends up conducting cities.

Dear Krishnan and Dear Hengky,

Two great suggestions! I confess didn't know them and  I will try read both. I believe that is very importante the books  that detail specific cities. I 'll learn too much with them.

Thank You very much for always collaborate with relevant News!

Dear Joaquim,

Well remembered. This is a great and important book.

Thank You very much,

All the best,

Vanessa

Dear Napoleon,

I agree with you. One book doesn't reflect the complexity of this subject.

Thank You very much for the varied list of suggestions that will be very useful!

Kind Regards!

________

About the urban development of the city of São Paulo in the twentieth century,  I suggest:

The City and The Law: Legislation, Urban Policy and Territories in the City of São Paulo

New York University, 1995 by Raquel Rolnik (she is a great urbanist)

https://raquelrolnik.wordpress.com/2013/06/12/the-city-and-the-law-legislation-urban-policy-and-territories-in-the-city-of-sao-Paulo/

Urban Space and National Identity in Early Twentieth Century São Paulo, Brazil

Crafting Modernity, 2010 by Cristina Peixoto-Mehrtens

Vanessa

Refer to this book and article,

http://habitat.aq.upm.es/boletin/n21/almum.en

http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/a-primer-on-social-problems/s17-01-a-brief-history-of-urbanizatio.html

Dear Ankur,

I believe that this material is very important as a basis for understanding the concept of urbanism. Thank You very much!

Another book that I read and its very interesting is:

Capital Cities around the World: An Encyclopedia of Geography, History, and Culture , 2013 by Roman Adrian Cybriwsky 

Vanessa

The Tamil people live in the southern part of India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. The Dravidian Language is spoken in those places and variations thereof can be found as far up as Pakistan and Nepal as well as Singapore, Malaysia and even Madagascar, confirms the Tamils had come from a now sunken continent from which their ancestors fled to India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Madagascar. In ancient Tamil accounts this sunken Continent is referred to a variety of names but today it is called "Kumari Kandam".

A Dictionary Project of the Government of Tamil Nadu (the Government of South India) published the following Timeline for the History of the Tamil people:

200 000 to 50 000 BC: Evolution of the Tamil and their Language

50 000 BC: Kumari Kandam Civilization

16 000 BC: Kumari Kandam Submerged

6087 BC: Second Tamil Kingdom established

1780 BC: Third Tamil Kingdom established

Scientists have acknowledged that the language, the people, the culture and the literature are some of the oldest to be found on earth - anywhere

Tamil Nadu is best known for are the most ancient "skyscrapers" in the world, of these scattered across the land and some of them are thousands of years old and even more ancient.

http://www.burlingtonnews.net/leumurian1.html

Dear Krishnan,

Excellent explanation. I will keep this link. Thank you very much!

Dear  Imrose,

Thank You very much! All these three suggestions are excelent! And I think we can say that Lewis Mumford is winnning this election "best book".

Best wishes

_________

About Latin America, I  recommend:

Modernization, Urbanization and Development in Latin America, 1900s - 2000s, Hardcover, 2014  by Arturo Almandoz 

Vanessa

India is a country with thousands of years of history. Every village, town and city is a living testimony of continuing traditions and culture that  is thousand + years old. I do not want to be judgmental in classifying the best book on history of a city to the exclusion of other books. I think every book has its place in the society and history.

Among several Indian cities, Jaipur the capital city of Rajasthan province is popularly known as pink city. It is well known for its well kept palaces, museums, crafts and gem stones. I like this book on Jaipur, the tourist city of palaces.

Dear  B.R. Rajeswara,

Beautiful book, thank You very much1 (i didin't know it)

All the best,

______________

The first purpose of this question was to draw up a list of books on the history of the cities formation.

In the course of the issues were included other aspects of the cities and suggested several books that have enriched my learning.

Along the same lines of various studies on cities, I recommend the book:

Historic Cities and Sacred Sites: Cultural Roots for Urban Futures  - Paperback, 2001 by Ismail Serageldin and Ephi Shluger.

Vanessa

Wow Vanessa - what a question!  Some amazing suggestions here - but I wanted to mention William H Whyte's The City (Rediscovering the Centre) and Spiro Kostof's The City Shaped - works by very interesting thinkers and who write well.