This book investigates the socio-economic and cultural drivers behind the gentrification of inner-city districts by a rising middle class in post-industrial urban environments. David Ley, a prominent geographer, utilizes extensive empirical data from six major Canadian cities to analyze the shift in urban demographics and land use. He argues that the transformation of the central city is not merely an economic phenomenon but a result of shifting cultural values and political priorities that emerged during the 1960s.

Experts in urban geography and sociology frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the cultural dimensions of gentrification. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous framework for analyzing urban social change.