This was a book that felt very familiar to be before I ever opened the cover. Jane Jacobs has influenced a ton of my writing first and second-hand, and her ideas have found their way to me through work community-building, and especially as I was deep in the world of DAOs.
My only critique of this book is that Jacobs can come across pretentious at times. Maybe deservedly so, because the ideas here are second to none.
Her central insight – that vital cities emerge from organic complexity rather than top-down planning – remains as relevant now as it was in 1961. Her concept of “eyes on the street” comes up for me every single time I enter a new neighborhood, especially at night. Everything in the book feels natural and intutive, despite relatively uncommon practice.
Worth reading for anyone building communities, whether physical or digital.