The true reasons for Detroit's rise, fall, and rise again emerge from the shadows of history in this myth-shattering account. They are not because of racism, the auto industry, federal policies, greedy capitalism, or other often-quoted causes. Detroit went broke because of a spectacular failure on the part of its leadership to live within its means, and because that leadership refused to face the truth about its own shortcomings and poor decisions, obscuring the facts and attempting to rewrite history to deflect attention elsewhere. For more than fifty years "Detroit" has been shorthand for all that's wrong with America's cities: crime, corruption, decay, racial tension, struggling businesses, failing schools, a declining tax base, and more. Between 2000 and 2017, its population fell 28 percent, a steeper drop than any other major American city. A third of its land now lies vacant or dotted with empty, derelict houses. The good news is there are unmistakable signs of renewal. Given a fresh start, Detroit has slowed its rate of population decline, stabilized its finances, and set out to prove to the world that it's once again open for business.

The city that became the poster child for urban failure is now poised to become a shining symbol of urban success.