Review: The idea of a global cities book in an ecological site might, at first, seem unusual. However, there is much to recommend it. Put simply, global cities are a new phenomenon which appear to be able to dictate events outside their physical area - i.e. their ecological footprint goes well beyond their own boundaries. It follows that if we are concerned about environmental matters then we need to understand the forces that create and sustain these cities. to this end, this reader - a collection of key contributions - is a vital start. The idea of the global city may not be new! The actual starting point, depending on who you select it seems, can be as far back as 1915 or more recently, the late 1980s. Likewise, the definition of the global city is far from fixed and their are numerous disagreements on matters ranging from theory to practice. What we have here is a vibrant field of study just beginning to see the parameters of its work.

To illustrate the work in this field the editors have assembled 50 contributions that span the main ideas and whose work can be seen as highlighting key points. Each one has been edited highly which has the advantage of condensing the material but the disadvantage of letting some of the finer points escape the readers attention. Against this one has a wide variety of views and each chapter has good bibliography so that any particular area can be explored in more detail. We start with an exploration of the concept of the global city. Peter Hall starts off the section with an historical perspective of early works on global city formation which is complemented by a range of other studies all of which started to encapsulate the new ideas. Part two starts with the idea of global cities as the sites for transnational headquarters - one of the first key ideas to become established in this area. Initial links to globalisation are seen and developed such that the global city becomes an essential part of the global system of capital - a necessary fixed point around which decentralisation of national resources can occur. Part three examines the way in which a seemingly un-related problem - urban decline - turned into an "urban renaissance" through gentrification and place-time specific economic features. The 1970s and 1980s were times of urban decline and this was largely accepted. However, the rise of globalisation and the re-use of the city centre provided an impetus for older cities to reinvent themselves, often aided by historical factors. If work to this point were mapped there would be a very heavy focus on Europe and North America. In many respects this was reasonable as these areas were the first to experience global cities. However, it can also be seen as an exercise in power - the global North taking all the research leaving the global South, yet again, as terra incognita. Part four aims to redress the balance; to show that there is much to be gained from studying cities outside the "Western" tradition. This is not just a case of recognising the megacity but of an intellectual shift away from the duality of "global city" and "empty space" to a greater recognition that all cities are situated within an active local milieu (the work of GaWC is often cited here). Like part three, cities discussed here are subject to global forces but they also have common links (such as colonialism) making this area od research a fascinating one. Part five moves on to social themes - specifically urban politics. Global cites were originally thought to be places of control, where an urban elite held sway and the masses were excluded from the benefits of globalisation. This view, as we see here, has been tempered by more research which shows, alongside physical restructuring, there has been a political restructuring providing a range of responses for the new urban citizen. Part six continues the human theme by exploring the nature of culture. One of the key ideas behind the global city was the creativity that it brought to the place. This was best seen, it was argued, through a multicultural perspective. However, as we see in these readings, not only is the notion of multiculturalism under attack so is the whole idea of culture and how these can be discussed within an urban context. The final part, seven, gathers more recent readings which together form a critique of current research and a suggestion of ways it could proceed.

This is a fascinating text. The depth and breadth of the contributions are such that it provides readers with a stimulating insight into this important research field whilst at the same time allowing them to follow up on any areas found to be of particular interest. The abbreviation of the contributions turns out to be a bonus rather than a hindrance - the multiple facets of the subject can be laid out without becoming mired down in detail. As such it should be regarded as an essential text for urban courses. From the perspective of wider study, the focus on power, culture and global economies shows where researchers are going but the lack of environmental concern points to an avenue yet to be explored. As ecologists, if we complain about the lack of attention, perhaps we ought to start matching the research!