Suggested reading list part of Imagine Boston 2030's engagement process

BOSTON - Wednesday, August 24, 2016 - As part of Imagine Boston 2030's community engagement process, Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced a suggested reading list that offers residents the opportunity to learn more about the background on some of the history and concepts that are helping to inform conversations about the future of our city.

The list of books was determined by members of the Mayor's team, and selected based on their content as its relates to the work of Imagine Boston 2030. The list includes works by practitioners, thinkers and philosophers who write about urban landscapes, physical and otherwise. Recognizing that this is by no means a comprehensive list, the Mayor's team is asking the public to vote on three titles to be added. To cast your vote, please visit here.

"Through Imagine Boston 2030, we are engaging residents on the future of our city in ways that have never been done before," said Mayor Martin J. Walsh. "This reading list is another tool we're using to drive engagement and ask people to think about to Boston's first city-wide planning undertaking in 50 years. I encourage all residents to visit their local library branch to pick up at least one of the books on the list and join the conversation about the Boston's future."

Since being launched in October 2015, Imagine Boston 2030 has been engaging with thousands of residents to set the direction for the city's growth. Over the last few months, the City has engaged residents through open houses, conversations,street teams, community workshops, text messages, social media and web surveys.

The Mayor's Office has partnered with the Boston Public Library to make the Imagine Boston reading list available to all Boston residents. To find your local library branch and borrow a book from the Imagine Boston reading list, please visit here.

The full list of books included in Imagine Boston 2030's reading list is below:

Reading List

• "Evicted" by Matthew Desmond

• "The Death and Life of Great American Cities" by Jane Jacobs

• "Chain of Change: Struggles for Black Community Development" by Mel King

• "The Given Day" by Dennis Lehane

• "Common Ground" by J. Anthony Lukas

• "All Souls" by Michael Patrick MacDonald

• "The Power Broker" by Robert Caro

• "Karma and Other Stories" by Rishi Reddi

• "The Resilience Dividend: Being Strong in a World Where Things Go Wrong" by Judith Rodin

• "Villa Victoria: The Transformation of Social Capital in a Boston Barrio" by Mario Luis Small

• "Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time" by Jeff Speck

• "The Price of Inequality: How Today's Divided Society Endangers Our Future" by Joseph E. Stiglitz

Youth (Ages 3+) Reading List:

• "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing" by M. T. Anderson

• "The City of Ember" by Jeanne DuPrau

• "Pennies for Elephants" by Lita Judge

• "What's the Big Idea? Four Centuries of Innovation in Boston" by Stephen Krensky

• "Make Way for Ducklings" by Robert McCloskey

• "Fantastic Cities: A Coloring Book of Amazing Places Real and Imagine" by Steve McDonald

• "Beneath the Streets of Boston" by Joe McKendry

• "On the Loose in Boston (Find the Animals)" by Sage Stossel

About Imagine Boston 2030
Imagine Boston seeks to knit together citywide planning efforts, public engagement and feedback, and City priorities to guide our city into 2030. A citywide plan will serve to implement the ideas set forth and to offer additional ideas for the physical and economic development of Boston. Just as importantly, Imagine Boston 2030 will help Boston's citizens articulate a shared vision for equitable prosperity, innovation, education, health, equity and arts and culture.