Overview
A long-time Austinite and journalistās exploration of the profound movements that have shaped Austin, Texasācharting the shifts within its vibrant music scene, the impact of rapid urbanization, and the challenges of gentrificationāultimately questioning what this cityās transformation signals for American urban identity.
Austin isnāt what it used to be.
This is a common sentiment amongst locals, offered with the same confusedāand often disappointedātone familiar to residents of Seattle, Portland, or San Francisco, where rapid growth and expansion have led to an urban identity crisis. Like those cities, Austin is known for its unique qualities: a thriving live music scene and housing affordability that historically made it a compelling home for creatives and self-described weirdos to roost. But now, as Big Tech infiltrates and climate change looms, Austin has become less familiarāand far less affordable.
An exploration of the beloved cityās evolution, Lost in AustinĀ also serves as a critical exploration of the transformation that has befallen one of Americaās most beloved citiesāand serves as a warning for what the homogenization of cities means for American urban identity. With a journalistās perspective and the heart of an Austinite, Alex Hannaford delves into the consequences of the cityās rapid growth in chapters that chronicle the major movements permanently altering the city: a vanishing music scene, soaring property values, and the encroachment of major industry. Through keen reportage and extensive interviews, Lost in Austin unveils the toll of unchecked growth and the cityās shift from its rebellious spirit to commercialization.
Through those storiesāvibrant, colorful, and clearly full of love for this cityāHannaford raises a crucial question: How do American cities, once celebrated for their unique values, became casualties of their own rapid growth and success? And can they ever return to what they once were?
This book title, Lost in Austin (The Evolution of an American City), ISBN: 9780063253025, by Alex Hannaford, published by HarperCollins (October 1, 2024) is available in hardcover. Our minimum order quantity is 25 copies. All standard bulk book orders ship FREE in the continental USA and delivered in 4-10 business days.
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