I really appreciated their anecdotes and stories. They talked about things that have worked, good ideas that unfortunately failed, and bad ideas that failed in a rather spectacular way.
They clearly showed examples of how unintended consequences have disrupted previous idealistic methods of combating sprawl. At the same time, they also provided examples of how their ideas have successfully fought against sprawl. For instance, adding parking to streets can actually slow down traffic and make the area livable again. Who would have thought of that?
All in all, this is an excellent history that explains why we live in a state of sprawl and how we can work against it. It is also a great book for developers and architects to understand that their business doesn't have to be solely focused on suburban office parks and subdivisions. They can explore other ways to develop that are more sustainable and beneficial for the community.