iorated by following the "Asian Way." Roughly speaking- the "Way" implements Confucian teaching and cultivates a benign/less aggressive populace, which places greater good ahead of individual gratification. The author suggests (occasionally contradicting himself) and makes compelling arguments about why Asian cities are so much more pleasant and safe to live in. The narrative is based on the author's (and family) experiences during a professional stint in Japan. The instances/examples/arguments described in this book are fascinating and eye-opening. Reid is obviously a Japanophile (if there's such a word) and I wish he would've stayed true to this theme throughout. Instead, he introduces some minor drawbacks in this work by clumsily attempting to portray his views as "neutral"-- by throwing in misplaced dashes of vitriol aimed at Japanese customs. While these comments might be factually correct, they are tossed in gratuitously. Also the chapter in which Reid gives his own suggestions for improving urban life in the USA could've either used more thought or been eliminated entirely. Personally, I would've enjoyed this part if it had been presented with serious detail instead of as a haphazard mishmash (much like the verbiage of the idealistic freshman after a couple of beers.) Last bit of minor criticism- Reid subsumes every nuance he observed in Japan as typical of Asia, which is a load of crock. In the epilogue, he does concede this point but only in passing.All in all- this is book is worth reading...if only to become aware of some shocking contrasts between the US and East Asia. Also if you intend to visit Japan sometime, read this book. If you plan to read the "Analects of Confucius" sometime, it might be a good idea to read this narrative first...kind of prepares you for the abstract thoughts of the Analects....
