A veteran sociologist maps nearly four decades of changes in an urban "bellwether of change." "Houston is America on demographic fast-forward," Klineberg argues in a trailblazing study that draws on 38 years of annual surveys of residents' views by the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University, of which the author is the founding director. His strongest evidence includes the "entropy index," or "how close a given population comes to having equal fourths of Asians, blacks, Hispanics, and Anglos." As the author notes, "by that measure, the Houston region is virtually tied with the New York metro for the diversity crown." Yet as the city has predicted and reflected the American shift toward a more multiethnic society, it embodies the nation's paradoxes. An anti-government, pro-business city, Houston elected the first openly lesbian mayor of a major American city, Annise Parker, in 2009, but voted against guaranteeing equal rights for the LGBTQ community in 2015. The city remains "profoundly segregated," marked by growing income and educational inequalities. Underlying such realities are region-specific variations on national concerns such as crime, pollution, immigration, traffic congestion, and climate and economic uncertainties. Built on a swampy, bayou-laced, Gulf Coast floodplain, the city is vulnerable to devastating storms like Hurricane Harvey in 2017, and it has an industrial base in petrochemicals, raising "the question of how much longer oil and gas can sustain the Houston economy" as people turn to alternate energy sources. Although perhaps too optimistic in his conclusion that Houstonians can help to build "a truly successful universal city and nation, the first of its kind in human history," Klineberg supports his case with a wealth of survey research, interviews with experts, and user-friendly graphs, all of which make this book invaluable for anyone seeking a deep understanding of an underappreciated city. A unique blend of analysis and research that is likely to become a classic work of scholarship on Houston. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Rice University sociologist Klineberg debuts with a lucid, data-driven look at Houston, Tex., based on original research tracking the demographics, economic prospects, cultural attitudes, and politics of city residents over the past 38 years. Initiated in 1982, when Houston's booming oil economy was drawing an influx of people as the rest of America suffered through a recession, Klineberg's annual survey revealed a mix of liberal and conservative views: the majority of respondents supported gay rights, limited restrictions on abortion access, and environmental protections, but were also "more committed to the can-do work ethic" than the rest of the country. Analyzing survey results through the decades, Klineberg highlights the region's monumental growth and its economic diversification after the oil boom collapsed, as well as the lack of upward mobility for poorer residents, most of whom are black or Latino. He also attributes the city's robust nonprofit sector to inadequate public funding for schools and municipal services, as well as the religious beliefs and moral values of area residents. Interspersed with interviews of dozens of Houstonians, Klineberg's meticulous research makes a strong case that Houston, with its growing inequalities, demographic shift to a nonwhite majority, and rising social and environmental consciousness, is at the forefront of America's future. This eye-opening and accessible study deserves a wide readership. (June)

Sociologist Klineberg (founding director, Kinder Inst. for Urban Research, Rice Univ.) gives a fascinating portrait of Houston in this debut. He begins with the misconceptions of Houston--an ugly, boring city that is too big for its own good. Klineberg offers a different message about the city as a purveyor of America's future, using a four-decade study to analyze how the demographics have shifted over the years, along with the varied opportunities and challenges that have occurred as a result. According to Klineberg, the city's large wealth gap is one of the significant threats to society, as it determines who lives in an environment that is more like to succeed, or who is more likely to experience hardship. This disparity is evident from the gaps between West Houston and East Houston. Education levels are exasperated by this wealth gap, which also leads to perception of governmental benefits. The author believes that diversity is Houston's biggest asset because it offers new perspectives and allows the city a chance to become an inclusive community and metropolitan area. In his words, these are lessons that the rest of the country can learn from. VERDICT A must-read, highly recommended sociological perspective of America's future.--Jacob Sherman, John Peace Lib., Univ. of Texas at San Antonio