The city of Austin consistently leads lists of fastest-growing and most-desirable places to live—a simultaneous source of pride and anxiety for residents. In The Cost of Cool: Austin’s Tech Growth and the People Left Behind, author Jon Roberts and his contributors investigate Austin’s evolving identity and tackle a question posed repeatedly by community and business leaders nationally: How did Austin, Texas, become a global tech leader? More broadly, this book focuses on economic development and policy dilemmas faced by growing cities while maintaining both social equity and the elusive qualities of “place” that attract creative and innovative talent.

Echoing themes raised by other urbanist scholars, Roberts and his collaborators do not shy away from the controversial aspects of tax incentives, environmental issues, cultural loss, and economic exclusion. While tackling the problems raised by unbridled growth, they also address concerns of younger workers who are increasingly prioritizing “place” over “job.”

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, The Cost of Cool emphasizes the centrality of vision: for growth (as Austin’s population doubles every twenty years); for openness (often driven by the influence of the South by Southwest conference and Austin’s music scene); and for the future of the tech industry (including the implications of forty years of commitment to semiconductors, software, and social media). The Cost of Cool informs the ongoing debate over how to foster economic growth without degrading the quality-of-life characteristics that help make it possible.