The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs (1961)

A classic book about urban design and what makes a city or neighborhood flourish or decay. Reading this made me view my surroundings in a more systems-oriented way and notice the “sidewalk ballet” of everyday life, like how in the early mornings when I take my dog out, I see bakers leaving the local bakery from their nightshift and how that puts eyes on the street and keeps the neighborhood safe, and how my dog and I are also part of this ballet.