Flesh and Stone

This history of Western civilization's cities explores urban life through the lens of bodily experience. It examines how people moved, saw, heard, smelled, ate, dressed, bathed, and made love within the architecture of stone and space, from ancient Athens to modern New York.

The book traces the evolution of urban living, from the nakedness in ancient Athens and the geometrical perfection in Roman beliefs, to Christian perspectives on the body in cities like Venice and Paris. Ultimately, it considers how modern scientific understanding has shaped our urban spaces, aiming to foster a common home for the diverse bodies inhabiting contemporary cities.