DeMause (Field of Schemes) looks at urban development in Brooklyn, where a war of sorts has broken out over the past few decades between the city, its residents, and real estate developers. Covering many angles, including the effects of Hurricane Sandy, the blackout of 1977, and controversies over real estate developments such as Metrotech and Atlantic Center, the book brings to the forefront an ongoing and unsolved question: is what’s good for the neighborhood also good for its residents? DeMause, a native New Yorker, is surprisingly levelheaded in his approach and uses a combination of historical insight and insider knowledge to inform his analysis of the transformation of the borough. He describes today’s Coney Island as “a mostly to a newer, cleaner (or more sanitized), less quirky (or more reliable) version of what it always was.” Much has been written about the topic, but this account brings a balance of nostalgia and nuance to the changing cityscape. (BookLife)