Book excerpt: Data on how cities have adapted to changing times: “An excellent analysis of the rise and role of the information sector . . . in regional economic development.” — Regional Science and Urban Economics How do metropolitan regions remain prosperous and competitive in a rapidly changing economy? Using hard data, Matthew Drennan shows that those regions that have invested heavily in the information economy have done much better than those that continue to rely on manufacturing and industry as their base. Moreover, he contends, the benefits of that growth reach the urban working poor, earlier reports to the contrary notwithstanding. The Information Economy and American Cities provides a wealth of rigorously analyzed econometric data of great value to economists, planners, and policymakers concerned with the future of America’s metropolitan areas, and provides the kind of hard evidence needed to advocate effectively for change.