The Death and Life of Great American Cities is a classic indictment of contemporary urban planning. Published in 1961, it has become the standard text for urban planning. Jane Jacobs writes with unsurpassed immediacy on such issues as the function and value of neighborhoods, what makes streets safe, and the salutary role of funeral parlors. In addition, she warns against the dangers of overdevelopment and lack of diversity.
The study was a pivotal contribution to the ongoing debate over the benefits and drawbacks of urban density. Jacobs' study recognized the costs and benefits of density and proposed a linear and quadratic relationship between income and density. However, the authors failed to mention that declining density gradients would not be an issue in the United States. However, the results of this research outlined the optimal density level.