Literature on cities and climate change/adaptation is becoming more prolific as we enter the second decade of the 2000s. This is perhaps not surprising given the alarming predictions and forecasts for cities, the ecology and life in general. In this context of anomalies and uncertainties Paul Downton's book is a welcome, optimistic and positive contribution. The book is about urban ecology and is intended as a core text for students, it is concerned with ways of thinking and ways of doing urban ecology. The stated goal of the book (p. vii) 'is to promote an understanding of cities as essential tools to the survival of advanced civilization.' This goal is a mammoth, ambitious and complex task to be achieved in a single volume, albeit 607 pages consisting mostly of small closely spaced text. The result is a comprehensive and somewhat shallow coverage of every aspect of urban ecology; from various histories and theoretical standpoints, to planning techniques and practices, to relationships between planning and architecture, to the importance of design and aesthetic considerations, to issues of gender, diversity and equity, to discussions on ecology and the relationships between living organism and the city, to name but a few of the topics covered.