The Nation City: Why Mayors Are Now Running the World

by Rahm Emanuel

At a time of anxiety about the effectiveness of our national government, Rahm Emanuel provides a clear vision, for both progressives and centrists, of how to get things done in America today--a bracing, optimistic vision of America's future from one of our most experienced and original political minds.

In The Nation City, Rahm Emanuel, former two-term mayor of Chicago and White House Chief of Staff for President Barack Obama, offers a firsthand account of how cities, rather than the federal government, stand at the center of innovation and effective governance. Drawing on his own experiences in Chicago, and on his relationships with other mayors around America, Emanuel provides dozens of examples to show how cities are improving education, infrastructure, job conditions, and environmental policy at a local level.

Emanuel argues that cities are the most ancient political institutions, dating back thousands of years and have reemerged as the nation-states of our time. He makes clear how mayors are accountable to their voters to a greater degree than any other elected officials and illuminates how progressives and centrists alike can best accomplish their goals by focusing their energies on local politics. The Nation City maps out a new, energizing, and hopeful way forward.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Cities, Memoir, Government, Urban Planning, Audiobook

256 pages, Hardcover

First published February 25, 2020

About the author

Rahm Emanuel is an American politician and the former White House Chief of Staff.

No stranger to the White House, Emanuel served as director of the finance committee for Bill Clinton's presidential campaign, and later as an adviser to President Clinton from 1993-1998. Emanuel worked in the private sector, mainly as an investment banker, before serving on the Board of Directors for Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation. He returned to politics in 2002, when he ran for congress. From 2003 to 2009, Emanuel represented Illinois' 5th congressional district as a Democrat in the United States House of Representatives.

Emanuel coauthored The Plan: Big Ideas for Change in America with Bruce Reed, the president of the Democratic Leadership Council.

Reviews

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rahm Emanuel was the two-term mayor of Chicago (2011-2019). The book is part a memoir, but mostly it is a sociological study.
The book is well written and researched. Emanuel claims that with the federal gridlock, the cities have had to step up and take on a greater role. The author also reveals some examples of mayors who are changing their communities. I found the book most interesting; I had no idea the federal government had backed out of so much of its normal role to cities and states. Emanuel shows how government on the local levels are overcoming problems and are leading the way. The book was well worth the read.

I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is seven hours forty-two minutes. Johnathan McClain does a good job narrating the book. McClain is a voice-over artist and has won several EarPhone Awards.

[Corrado · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a while to finish this book. It wasn’t very engaging for me, but it’s not that bad. I think the way it’s written makes it a bit stiff.

Rahm Emanuel served as mayor of Chicago for two terms until 2019. The book is partly an autobiography, highlighting the achievements and improvements made during his time in office. He explains why mayors are uniquely positioned to make impactful changes, as they work directly with citizens, they can respond quicker to local issues than higher levels of government.

If you're considering a career in city hall or aspire to be a mayor, this is likely the right book for you. It offers numerous examples of interesting initiatives implemented in Chicago, as well as in cities around the world, providing valuable insights and ideas.

Honestly, I’d almost forgotten why I started reading this book in the first place—but here I am!

[Rick Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here’s how I think it went down. Rahm, upon being appointed White House Chief of Staff, said “man I should probably read this constitution thing.”

Weeks pass, laws are argued, phone calls are made, meetings scheduled and held, A whole gumbo pot of governmental things go on.

Then on a quiet afternoon, a sleepy Caribbean vibe sets over the White House. Obama has his feet up, rereading a book about Lincoln, muttering things like, “yeah, get em..... that’s right... ooooo, you rascal” under his breath.

Rahm Emanuel settles into his leather chair, eyes squinting as he slowly mouths the words he reads.

“The powers... not delegated.... to the United States... by the Constitution.... nor prohibited by it... to the States.... are reserved... to the States respectively... or to the people”

He pauses. Eyebrows working furiously as he thinks.

“The powers not delegate-Ted... are reserved... for the states...”

He reads and re-reads the passage several times. Pausing to stare at his lightly cream colored wall while the wheels spin wildly in his brain.

Rising suddenly from his chair, as the lightbulb of lucidity strikes, Rahm shouts at Barrack “yo Barry! I’m sick of arguing with morons about healthcare! We’ve been going about this all wrong. States rights are the bees knees.” Rahm begins laughing and jumping about the office like a child on a sugar high.

In response, Barack clears his throat in a sort of dignified fatherly way. “Rahm.” He says in that great baritone, “what the fuck are you talking about.” But it’s too late. Rahm is off, cackling like a leprechaun who has tricked an unwitting drunkard out of his gold. With a jump, a tee-hee, and click of his heels he runs out the door yelling “states rights! States rights! I’m off to be a mayor“

This is how I imagine Rahm Emanuel resigning from the chief of staff position. It fits with the book which is mostly high school level civics about how mayors can try to enact lasting change in their communities. I really don’t know what we’re trying to accomplish with this book, while it was moderately entertaining it’s disorganized, a collection of stories about various mayors and ‘Feats of Rahm.’ Ultimately contributing very little to any sort of local, national or political discussion. Plenty of warranted pot shots at Donald Trump, A general lauding of Rams accomplishments as mayor of Chicago, and the usual self fellation one gets from political memoirs.

I do think the most frustrating part of this book is that Rahm says “give up on the federal government.“ Chapter 2 is essentially him throwing up his hands and despair and saying it’s irredeemable. I find myself skeptical of that claim, but perhaps it was beyond the grasp of those who tried. The view that our federal government is irredeemable I think is an offshoot of the fact that many of the well-intentioned policies of the Obama administration failed. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that the scapegoating of the “tea party” as a reason why not much was accomplished fails to take any sort of accountability to the inability of the Obama administration to communicate and steer national narratives around their goals and initiatives.

Probably don’t read this, go read the Federalist papers or the amendments to the constitution so you don’t end up like Rahm, 20 years into a political career without understanding the original intent of the constitution.

[Marion · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe a 4-star if it had had an index, footnotes and citations/backup for the many stories and examples. Also needed better editing. Nevertheless an upbeat overview of the encouraging work being done by mayors at the local level to overcome serious problems and improve the lives of their constituents.

[Erik Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ended up getting into it. Compelling in a way that surprised me.

[Q Silver · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heavily partisan and stilted, I feel that I haven’t heard the whole story, but I did learn some things and gain some appreciation for alternate perspectives.

[Myles · Rating 2 out of 5]

Contrary to the assertion in the sub-title to Rahm Emanuel’s upbeat defense of cities, mayors don’t run the world. And while some of them have some pretty good approaches to intractable urban problems, there really is no substitute for effective governance at the national level, at least not yet.

What’s pretty clear in the 21st century is that some runaway corporations have an enormous impact on urban and rural life. Alibaba, amazon, facebook, Google, Microsoft, tencent, uBer, AirBnB, to name a few.

Cities, not even a federation of cities can really tell Google what to do and what not to do. Or who or what to surveil and who and when not to surveil.

International crime, money laundering, and tax havens are transnational problems. You want to know why residential real estate in Hong Kong, New York, London, and Toronto are haywire?

Well, there’s a lot of evil money parked in condos and not just in Sunny Isles, Florida.

California may ultimately have a lasting impact on the future of automobile manufacturing but LA won’t and neither will San Francisco.

I give you a simple case in point: the entire world except for the Unites States is run on the metric system. Here is one tiny reason the US is pricing itself out of the market. Cities will not change that/

Cities will have little effect on the xenophobic hinterlands, or on money in politics, or, as we’ve seen, on the transmission of microbes. These are things we deal with together or not at all.

[Donny Nelson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much of this is a self serving memoir. Some of it rang hollow because it seems like he just discovered Federalism after moving from roles in the Executive and Legislative branches to mayor. There were interesting examples of new things tried by other mayors but I didn’t trust the author enough to have confidence he was telling the full story.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book in the context of the current pandemic crisis when anxiety about our national government is even higher than when the author wrote it gives it even more credibility. It is a worthwhile read to say the least.

[Carly Friedman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting book about urban planning and politics. I don’t 100% agree with the central thesis that mayors are more impactful than national governments but I appreciated all of the information about innovations and developments being made by city leaders.

[Anthony Locke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This five-star rating is mostly due to a general interest in public policy and my job with the City. Rahm Emanuel is a former two-time mayor of Chicago and talks about how local cities are rising to the occasion to accomplish policy and infrastructure work previously left to the federal government. There is higher accountability for mayors because their work operates at the local level - if you say you filled a pothole and you didn't, you're going to hear about it. Emanuel shares about how older top-down communication structures to discuss policy are being abandoned for more peer-to-peer horizontal communications between mayors of different political backgrounds. This makes sense because challenges are similar in all cities at the local level - infrastructure, homelessness, education, public safety, parks and rec, etc. One anecdote I liked was how the first thing former Mayor Bloomberg told Emanuel to do as a mayor was to bolster tourism because it improves morale and creates jobs. This book gave me a greater appreciation for my management and for the major. If you're working in government, particularly at a more regional level like county/city, you might enjoy this book.

[Josh · Rating 2 out of 5]

from now on I'm going to write a haiku about the books I read:

Read for class, Rahm does
not know what progressive means, it's
just a bad book dude

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I picked up this book, I thought there could be the potential that it would be dry and dull. I was pleasantly surprised. While it was a bit redundant in places, I learned a lot about revitalization of cities, etc. I found myself thinking “I should send a copy to...” and then insert every person I have even known in city government or tourism.

[Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book started off a little rocky, I thought it was just going to be Emanuel tooting his own horn. To be fair he did do that, but in the most humble way.

Emanuel put together a fantastic look at how cities and local government are leading the way since federal governments have failed us. I couldn't agree more with this sentiment. And while I disagree with him politically, he made amazing points and showed just how we can address problems with nimble, small government, something I do agree with.

I highly recommend this to anyone interested in politics.

[Hil · Rating 3 out of 5]

The actual science of the book is interesting. The memoir/personal account was not. I wanted to read this to learn, but not about this man's life. Either way, there is much information to digest, but it's a mostly easy read.

[Roger Smitter · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the earliest pages of the book, Rahm Emmanuel, the recent two-term mayor of Chicago, states “All of our world’s challenges – the perils—are found in cities.” (p. 12) He adds “This book is an attempt to help us all recognize what is happening in politics today—taking lessons from Chicago’s City Hall….” and other resources. (p. 14)

In the first chapter, he says “The fight for providing a good education for all of our children gets to the core of the tension in this book, the heart of the problem we now face as a country—and a world—and the heart of the solution.” It reminds us that Obama spent lots of focus on education. (pp. 16-22)

He walks across the political lines to site the good work of other mayors who are doing good things for schools. “Being a mayor these days is the most important job in politics. He cites LBJ’s statement: “When the burdens of the presidency seem unusually heavy, I always remind myself it could be worse. I could be a mayor.” (p. 54) And he also takes some shots at Trump in these early pages.

His writing reminds us that he thinks as a politician. Money is the heart of the problems in public schools and “Trump is merely a symptom of a disease at the federal level.”

In the middle of the book, he brings in what he knows best, the operations of big cities. He says that by 2050, two of three people on the earth will be in a city. (p. 74) and he says, somewhat surprisingly, that “…party labels for mayors are largely meaningless.” (p. 85)

He also points to the sheet number of mayors who have become national figures. (p. 88)
The young and surprising Pete Buttigieg of “little South Bend, IN, gets good converge (p. 94) The author says “One of Buttigieg’s mandates is never to wait for the federal government to catch up.” (p. 97) while the book was published in early 2020, before the current uproar over Confederate statues in public places, Emmanuel makes a reference to the power of statues in cities.

Chapter 7, “The ‘Right’ Mayors,” lays out a way for mayors to do their work. He has a very short statement about immigration. (p 124) He cites Carmel, IN for its government system. (pp. 126-127)

Toward the end of the book, he takes us back to his home, Chicago (Home Sweet Home) (p. 136) This is where we read his political skills: “Every idea, every project, and every program we undertook during my time as major had a single abiding focus: to make the lives of the people of Chicago better than the day I became majorly and to leave them better prepared to make the most of their future.” (p. 139) unfortunately, he doesn’t talk much about the limits of politics in running a big city.

Chapter 9 is one of the best as he talks about mayors outside the US. His focus is on London and the issues of immigration. He touches on other cities too,

Chapter 10, “Cities, Waterfronts, and River Walks” tells us of his achievements He is very proud of the things he did about the acres to Lake Michigan This chapter has some advice to mayors and politicians.

In chapter 11, he admits, “While I was mayor, I shamelessly copied or adopted some of the best ideas of other mayors. (p. 214) And Buttigieg shows up again. (p. 218)

He uses the last chapter, “The Future”, to say what mayors need to do. It begins with “There is…..such a thing as a bad mayor” to open the chapter (p. 223), putting this topics at a long distance from the first pages when he referenced some of Chicago’s previous mayors.

He uses some football language (the plays, not the on language on the field) to define what a mayor has to do (p. 224). His example form his time in the job is found in what he and his people did to change Chicago schools. For example, he tells us that when he became mayor, the Chicago schools had the shortest schedules. (p. 224) I encourage him and his publishers to produce a book about that monumental change in the schools.

The last pages have some rather bland statements. For example, “The modern city under the modern mayor must become a place where people can live, work, and play. Finding the equilibrium among those three needs determines a city’s viability today and into the future.” (p. 237)

But he follows with “But no city has yet found the perfect balance. Even good, healthy cities have serious problems that can seem intractable.” (p. 227) He references the major challenges of health care and pensions (pp. 229-230) s in American cities is the severe rise in the costs of pensions.” (p. 229) This isn’t much of an insight.

At the end, his focus is on politics. He says, “In 2040 70 % of American will live in fifteen states. (p. 233) This means that 30% of the voters will elect 70 senators “And the 30 % will be older, whiter, more rural, more male than the 70%.” (pp. 232- 233)

The book ends with the theme of the book: “Our hope lies with our mayors.” (p. 234)

[Jim Gallen · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The Nation City” is a blend of personal and civic boosterism, insightful analysis of urban and world trends and partisan comment. Author Rahm Emanuel begins with the background of his Jewish family that fled persecution in Europe and his youth in Chicago. He follows with an explanation of the concept of the “Nation City”, how it became so important, and the prospects for the future. Several chapters are then devoted to projects and mayors who make their cities great.

Emanuel’s basic justification for his premise that “Mayors Are Now Running The World” is his claim that national governments, both American and foreign, are so limited by political divide and financial constraints that they can no long drive the “progressive” initiatives that improve people’s lives. He provides accounts about encounters with mayors from around the world.

Emanuel’s perspective is unique, having served in the U. S. Congress, as Chief of Staff for President Obama and two-term mayor of Chicago. According to one friend of mine who I believe was trying to give me a fair assessment, although he encountered opposition, Emanuel did things for Chicago that are credited with its first population increase in decades. Apparently, he was a good mayor.

Open-minded readers will recognize that they are reading a partisan document, favorable comments about Republican mayors notwithstanding. Witness “President Obama worked hard…his endless frustration…Republicans controlled Congress, and his best ideas went nowhere…an obstruction-bound Republican Congress” and “The fight for equitable school funding from the state… The only thing standing in our way was the Republican governor (Bruce Rauner) who called the bill a ‘bailout for Chicago’ as every Republican governor had done for the last fifty years…He was determined to drive Chicago public schools into bankruptcy.” Nowhere is there any thought that, irrespective of hard work, Obama’s “best ideas” deserved to be rejected or question of whether reasonable minds could deviate from Emanuel’s concept of “equitable financing” or whether increased payments to Chicago schools that were set up for bankruptcy might really be a bailout of Chicago?

Partisan swipes having been balanced, this book is of interest to readers across a broad spectrum. Progressives will revel in the success of mayors in improving lives despite the lack of help from the national governments. While conservatives may view claims of success with suspicion there are things to learn from these pages. Conservatives believe in subsidiarity with problems being solved as close to the people as possible. Emanuel posits that a mayor can neither hide from his neighbors nor conceal failure and claims success on behalf of himself and other mayors. If municipalities are willing and able to achieve favorable advances on their own and bear responsibility for their successes and failures our federal system has triumphed.

This work relies on anecdote more than scholarly research and is an easy read. An index would be helpful. For anyone interested in the future of our cities, states and nation, “The Nation City” is a worthwhile narrative.

I did win a free copy of this book from Goodreads.

[Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

As one might expect, this book is largely a self-aggrandizing work meant to enshrine Rahm's legacy as 2-term Mayor of Chicago. Void of any controversial content or meaningful reflection on his consistently low approval ratings or significant scandals (e.g. the footage surrounding Laquan McDonald's murder) - one might expect this book to have little value; but as long as you understand the perspective it's coming from there are valuable elements.
--
The Nation City rounds out my 3-book collection of American Mayors in the 2010s. First was New Orleans's mayor, Mitch Landrieu ('10 - '18), and his book In the Shadow of Statues: A White Southerner Confronts History. Mayor Landrieu reflected on how roots to his home city of New Orleans informed his views on issues ranging from local union negotiations to the national-level issue of Confederate statues. The second was South Bend (my home town) mayor, Pete Buttigieg ('12 - '20), and his book Shortest Way Home: One Mayor's Challenge and a Model for America's Future. Secretary Pete discusses how he took the lessons from his education and private-sector experience to modernize the city of South Bend to prepare it for the next 100 years. His message was one of progress and using government for good. Mayor Emanuel rounds out this collection with a summary of his accomplishments (extended school days, college programs, beautification of the city, etc...) but uses his abnormally high profile to highlight the best of American mayors.

This is where the book shines. Rahm examines how 10+ mayors have managed their cities and how the bipartisan spirit is alive and well in local government. His core thesis, that the Federal Government is ineffective and cities must run the world, is uninspired (and quite tone-deaf in my opinion given his extensive tenure in Federal politics) and did not resonate. What I was left with was how much a good a competent mayor can do, Republican or Democrat.

I do not recommend this book alone, I think the writings and insights of Mayor Landrieu and Secretary Pete are far superior; but Rahm does a great job of summarizing other peoples words and raising the profile of these spectacular executives.

4/5 as a read
2/5 as a recommendation

[Daniel Clausen · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book, Rahm Emanuel, like other mayors who are becoming spokespeople for global cities and city leadership, discusses his experience and the experience of other cities tackling issues such as crime, climate change, immigration, unemployment, and education.

In the book, Emanuel argues that cities are the engines of innovation and effective governance in America today, even as the federal government is mired in dysfunction and gridlock. For people who are sick of the gridlock, partisan posturing, political extremism, and polarization of our current moment, this book can often come off as hopeful and inspiring (perhaps even naïvely so). Emanuel finds examples of non-partisan pragmatic leadership from both political parties, as well as from city leaders around the world.

The book is written in a conversational and engaging style, with a mix of humor, candor, and passion. He presents himself as a pragmatic progressive who is willing to compromise and experiment in order to get things done. The book is a compelling and inspiring read for anyone interested in urban affairs, politics, or leadership. It offers a vision for how mayors can be the agents of change we need. It also challenges us to rethink our assumptions about the role of the federal government and the potential of local democracy. The Nation City is a testament to the power and promise of global cities and pragmatic leadership.

Having said all of these things, potential criticisms of the book: (1) It might feed into fantasies of decentralization localism as the solution to every problem. The book often sounds quasi-libertarian, suggesting that decentralized and local leadership is better overall and thus there is no need to focus on reforming national government (nation-building) (2) It is uncritically "urbanist" in its approach to the future. If the world is becoming more urban and mayors are taking the lead, why look for leadership elsewhere? (3) It is anecdotal -- "samples on the dependent variable" -- and cherry picks its examples to fit a narrative of urban triumphalism. By focusing only on success stories, it leads to the perspective that all urban leaders are good urban leaders (while all federal leaders are not?).

With all of those potential criticisms out of the way -- they are criticisms that are most relevant for sophisticated urbanists -- the book was a great introduction for those who are just getting started with urban leadership in the 21st century. The book comes highly recommended.

[Danny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall I'm really glad I read this book. I had borrowed it from the library and renewed it multiple times, choosing other books first. Once I finally picked it up, I finished it in two days.

I've been interested in politics for a few years but never really considered a job in the public sector. This book changed my mind enough to at least consider it, and perhaps more importantly, it gave me some renewed hope that things will (could) keep moving forward regardless despite the problems at the federal level.

This book leans Left, which is fine for me. There are a few shots at Trump and several shots at the federal government in general dating back a couple of decades. Otherwise, I'd say this is pretty non-partisan and something that everyone could find value in.

There are also instances of "spin" where Emanuel touts some accomplishments in ways that probably aren't as great as they're advertised. For example, the rate of improvement is used instead of the rate of crime itself in one example - this is fine if you catch it and recognize it for what it is, but it can be misleading. There's also not much attention given to downsides and side effects until the very end of the book. One example that comes to mind is how a city took down a bridge over a river and made the area a park that has views of a waterfall, which was previously hidden by the bridge. The park was considered a success, but the longer commute that many had as a result was brushed aside.

Overall, though, this was an inspiring book with numerous specific examples of what both Chicago and cities around the US and world are doing to make our lives better. I often judge books based on what actions they inspire me to take, and for that I happily rate this 5 stars.

[Mariyam · Rating 3 out of 5]

For my Urban Policy class. Very interesting to read about the development of many Chicago policies, programs, & infrastructure of the 2010s. 6 years after this book was written, its helpful to look back and see what actually worked out.
Obviously this was thru the POV of Rahm Emanuel and I'm sure his narration can be argued against at different points, but overall I think we got a fair, fact-based look into his policies and viewpoints.

One of my main takeaways is every policy comes down to funding, and it doesn't always need to require taxing the public to raise funds. Many urban policies that build public infrastructure still end up benefitting private corporations that have more than enough funds to spare. Examples are the O'Hare airport construction that United Airline partially funded. Another example is Uber and Lyft being sued by the city for predatory practices, and the settlement going towards building city roads and transit. It was interesting to learn how these methods, as well as federal grants, TIFs, etc factor into funding public policy solutions.

Obviously again, this is RE's pov and maybe some things he described could be argued against. I do feel like he wrote this book to justify some of his more controversial policies like Chicago public school closures. His narration was very pro-himself and kind of cheesy and performative in parts. Some reviewers were whining that he talks about Republicans negatively and it's so funny bc he was lowkey glazing every republican mayor he mentioned. He very much a "both sides can reach practical agreements and have more in common than not" type of person. It feels like a quaint notion in modern 2025 Trump MAGA era.

[Richard Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is self-congratulatory, self-promotional and overtly political, so it is sometimes irritating, but I was able to get past all of that because Rahm Emanuel is very smart, is dedicated to public service, and, most importantly, was a very good mayor so he knows whereof he speaks. It helps that I agree with his politics, though I sometimes wished that he could have slipped his politics away in a box and focused more on his very important point that the center of gravity of functioning government around the world has shifted to the cities. There is a new breed of good mayors from Emanuel to Bloomberg to Garcetti to Castro to Buttigieg, and they have counterparts around the world. It is refreshing to see that government can still work and that it can still impact the lives of ordinary people in positive and meaningful ways. We don't yet have to completely despair at governmental gridlock, unceasing partisanship and the seemingly unfathomable gulf between left and right. In the great cities the governments are finding ways to get past divisiveness by focusing on solving practical problems to create better places for their people to live. I am particularly heartened by this development because I love big cities. And the nature of city-focused localism means that different places will be able to experiment and find different solutions to our common problems that are suited to the unique circumstances and cultures of the places where they arise. Let a thousand flowers bloom! Let a thousand schools of thought contend!

[Tracy Hoffman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Drawing on his experience as a two-term mayor of Chicago, and several decades in state and national government, Emanuel argues that it's mayors and their cities, in contrast to increasingly dysfunctional national governments, that are governing and solving problems confronting cities and citizens around the world. From education, housing, income inequality, climate change, crime, and infrastructure to immigration, he argues that mayors are driving change by learning and borrowing from each other, pursuing innovative partnerships, adopting progressive policies, and by tackling problems that they and their constituents encounter on a daily basis.

Rather than an in-depth analysis of his tenure in Chicago, this book highlights some of the programs (Chicago Star Scholarship), policies (lengthening the school day and school year), and projects (Chicago Riverwalk, The 606) that Emanuel regards as hallmarks of his tenure while glossing over many of the details, the controversies and polarization during his eight years in office. The book is at its best when Emanuel highlights what cities across the United States and around the world are doing to improve lives, to think about and address the future and the challenges it will bring.

Conversational in tone, this book is a quick read offering a glimpse into Emanuel's tenure as mayor of Chicago, what he regards to be many of his accomplishments, and how he believes mayors and their cities are leading the way into the future.

[Scooter · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are civic minded, this is a truly engaging read. Government at its heart is about serving people. Rahm Emanuel has experience at both the Federal and local level but you can feel his passion through the stories he tells. What’s stuck with me is an interesting premise: he believes that the local level is where real change is made, even more than the attempt federal levels.

As I mentioned above, the best local officials understand that their role is to serve the public. To know who the public is you must know who they are. Rahm mentions a lot of leaders, not only at the business level, but normal community members who strive to make a change. His story of his grandparents and how his family grew was very sweet: you can understand where he is coming from because he believes so much in the City of Chicago as a living idea.

Another inspiring part of this book is that he shows us that no one has a monopoly on good ideas. You’d think with his history he might only highlight democratic mayors, but this is not the case. You’d think he found pride in serving his country, but he details the friendships made with mayors in other countries. Republican or Democrat, US citizen or not, it becomes clear that these leaders all gain from each other. This is the sprint of cooperation we all need to regain.

I believe this book is an important read for multiple reasons. You learn that no change comes without hard work, and rarely without a fight. You learn how tough it can be to effect change from the top down. But you also leave with a sense of hope: the problems we face are universal and you can probably find someone somewhere working on them if you look hard enough. Read this book if you need a reminder that not everything is destroyed these days.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having the opportunity to know so many Mayors and a special enthusiasm for civics, this book was particularly interesting to me. Granted, I'm a Rahm fan so that helped, as it's told completely from his perspective. But even if you are not fond of the former Chicago mayor, hear me out, this is still well worth your time. Not only is it brimming with success stories of strategic mayors from both sides of the aisle, but it thoroughly outlines just how vital local government is and how it impacts our daily lives. Due to the unique accountability of the mayor's office, Rahm contends that when the federal government drops the ball, it's local municipalities that have to think fast to come up with innovative solutions. However explicit in his disdain for the federal government, Emmanuel does shed light on how city leaders are addressing issues like land-planning, education, infrastructure and the environment with bold, innovative initiatives. The book is worth reading just for the dozens of progressive examples that provide both insight and optimism.

[Thomas Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent look both at the incompetence of the federal government and the developing power and progress of cities and their policies and leaders over the past 30 years. The book discusses controversial issues like building libraries into new construction in exchange for givebacks and river walks and bike shares and high lines and other ways of pulling together work, play, and life in urban settings. It would be interesting to read the paperback if upon its publication a new afterword is added that addresses these issues in the wake of the Corona virus. No one moves to New York City to live in a 400 square foot apartment. Instead, they move there to engage and interact with like minded folks yet how will social distancing play into urban growth? Only time will tell, especially if the virus returns next season, if cities have reached their apex and a movement away from their density begins.

[Scott Heyman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book optimistic and inspiring, capturing the ability to make change even when national politics seems unpalatable. It was inspiring to hear stories of how elected individuals could drive change in faster, more effective ways at a local level and highlighted the importance to strong city government. It was nice to read about the positivity in government and be reminded of how it can still be a force for good.

My biggest qualm is that the book is very anecdotal. I wish it got more academic with numbers/stats/data about how the projects have effectuated good. I realize many of the stories are recent changes and we haven't had time to collect all the data points, but at times I felt like it was a collection of nice stories instead of highlighting the improved efficacy from local vs. national government.

[Xin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a bit too political for me. While it does acknowledge there are bad Mayors, and Mayors in general work across party lines, it seems to overly glorify the democratic party.

What I like about it is to see from a fresh perspective I didn't have before that mayors in different major cities can collaborate and make meaningful changes on the ground level, which Rahm suggests is lacking from the federal government in today's political systems. Another cool feature is to hear about the creative and fun things mayors made happening in the last few decades, e.g. riverside walks in Chicago, Paris, etc.

The writing style is clear, concise and engaging, but I guess that's what it takes to be an effective politician.

[Daniel Schulte · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The first thing I have to say, though, is that this book is a shameless plug for Chicago. The author is a previous mayor of Chicago, and he makes sure that you know it. Once you get past that though, this is a great book. The author does a great job of showing several different problems that cities have today and then he shows the different ways that Chicago and many other cities are tackling these challenges without the help of their national governments. It's inspiring to see leaders around the world trying to get as much help as they can from their national governments, but when the national level doesn't show up, these mayors (and their cities) roll up their sleeves and just get the job done on their own.

[Tom Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of those books that makes you want to jump into politics. Why? Because Emanuel makes it clear that motivated and strong leaders can really effect change. The over-arching point of the book is that the Federal government has become too bloated to lead where it should, and the onus has fallen on Mayors to improve their own cities. Quite timely given the context of Covid-19 and the Fed's insistence that states fend for themselves. Though Emanuel points out that cities and states should not wait around for the Federal government, he wishes they would help.