IN THE FORWARD, BRIAN KEENER STRESSES THE INTENT OF THIS BOOK TO BE THE CONVEYING OF THE IDEA THAT NEW YORK CITY IS GREAT PRECISELY BECAUSE OF ITS CONTINUALLY EVOLVING ENERGY, DIVERSITY, BEAUTY, PROMISE, AND CULTURE.AT THE SAME TIME WE MUST ALSO ADMIT ITS POVERTY, INEQUALITY, HARSHNESS, DESPAIR, AND INESCAPABLY, IN THE LIGHT OF RECENT EVENTS, VULNERABILITY. THIS COMPOSITION TEXT IS STRUCTURED TO ENGAGE ITS READERS, INSPIRING THEM TO READ INSIGHTFULLY, THINK CRITICALLY, AND WRITE EFFECTIVELY, WHILE ANALYZING MODERN URBAN MYTHS ABOUT CLASS AND THE HOMELESS THROUGH ESSAYS BY SUCH WRITERS AS ANNA QUINDLEN AND PETER MARIN.