I was really excited to read this book. Spokane is a bit of an enigma to me, and I was hoping that this book would help me make more sense of how it became the way it is. I found the chapters on Spokane’s neighborhoods and the North-South freeway to be the most interesting. Unfortunately, I quickly discovered that this book is sorely out of date. I knew going in that it was published over 10 years ago, but so much has changed in the last 10 years that I often lost my frame of reference.

I did not expect the level of pessimism and angst in some of the chapters. Some of the authors seem to have quite low expectations for what the city can/will accomplish. There was also an overriding sense of anxiety regarding how citizens will work to improve the city through creative endeavors and support. As I live the city today, I have much less trepidation and feel that progress is afoot.

I did learn quite a bit about the city, but all in all, this book is too dated to be of much use beyond historical reference. I do not feel the despair that I sensed in the chapter authors or the editor. There were bright spots and moments of praise, but I hope that this book will be updated with a more positive and refreshing tone.