In 1961 Jean Gottmann published his pioneering study of urban sprawl along the Boston-Washington corridor. The book's title soon became a household word, and its author gained worldwide acclaim for his insights into the dimensions of urbanism. Since writing "Megalopolis," Gottmann has published more than eighty articles on the urban scene. Now, for the first time, the best of that work is available in a single volume.

"Since Megalopolis" treats urban questions from the ancient and modern worlds alike. What can today's planners learn from the ancient Greek city of Miletus? What do the shape...