Green Metropolis: What the City Can Teach the Country About True Sustainability

Owen packs a mean and green punch in this comprehensive look at how high-density city living is the environmentally responsible choice. His argument seems sound and his research is extensive, but Patrick Lawlor’s delivery lends a defensive tone to Owen’s appeal. The slight chip on the shoulder edge to his reading aside, Lawlor has an engaging and lively voice that breezes through Owen’s more complicated explanations about the differences between city dwelling and its potentially sustainable opportunities. Both author and narrator come together well to provide a fresh new point of view in the debate on humans and the environment. A Riverhead hardcover (Reviews, June 1). (Dec.)