The Future of Cities: Two Great Reads to Get You Thinking

Still not convinced winter is over, despite daylight savings and all of the dripping and melting over the last few days? Neither are we. In that spirit, we thought we’d recommend a couple of great reads that will get you through until spring takes a firm and confident hold!

First up is For the Love of Cities by Peter Kageyama. In this book, Peter explores the love affair between people and their places. He delves into just what it is that makes cities lovable—and what motivates ordinary citizens to do extraordinary things for their places. Peter illustrates how some cities are using the passion of their people to fill in the gaps that “official” city makers have left as resources have disappeared.

In Nice Bike: Making Meaningful Connections on the Road of Life, Mark Scharenbroich demonstrates how being part of a community and experiencing a greater affiliation with others can improve your work and your life. The premise began when Mark accidentally stumbled on Harley-Davidson’s centennial celebration and noticed how two simple words—“nice bike”—embodied three important actions: acknowledging, honoring, and connecting with others.

So besides writing great books, what do these two authors have in common? They’ll both be keynote speakers at this year’s LMC Annual Conference! Peter will kick things off on Thursday morning, and Mark will wrap up at the closing luncheon on Friday.

Both For the Love of Cities and Nice Bike are available in paperback format and for Kindle readers. If you do buy a paperback, don’t forget to bring it and get it signed at the conference! In the meantime, enjoy the reads, and we’ll see you in June.