This study takes an intentionally soft approach, that is, in comparing Paris and Tokyo, the intent is not to nail down statistics. Instead the author offers a series of observations and reflections, backed with plenty of both legwork and archival work, in an effort to identify ways in which each city's history and future are manifested in the built environment, the functioning of its systems, and the attitudes of its residents as well as those living outside each city. White (emeritus, political science, U. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) has spent most of his academic career either in Asia or writing about it. Annotation 2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
