Miami: The Changing Face of America

The city of Miami is the setting of a forthcoming book by novelist Tom Wolfe, whose works have come to define eras in American culture. Some say his selection of Miami as a setting shows that the melting pot city is the face of a changing America.

1 minute read

April 19, 2010, 5:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg


"The city seems to encapsulate many modern themes in American life. As debates about immigration rage across the political spectrum, Miami is the unofficial capital of Latino America. The region is also at the centre of the property boom and bust that has devastated America's economy. And Miami's culture of extravagant wealth, superclubs and beaches have come to symbolise some of the cultureless vanities of the modern age exposed by the financial crisis. This is a place where the very rich go to party within a few miles of some of the poorest people in America. It is a city where political corruption has become a way of life – rich territory indeed for Wolfe's touch. Through looking at Miami, Wolfe may reveal much more than the tales of a single city. He may be once again chronicling the state of the nation."

Wolfe's new book will be titled "Back to Blood", and is expected to be released later this year.

Sunday, April 18, 2010 in Guardian

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Tunnel for pedestrians, bikes, and buses in Lyon, France lit up with purple lights.

The French Solution to Congested Tunnels: Make Them Car-Free

Bay Area transportation officials keep expanding car capacity. Lyon’s Croix Rousse Tunnel offers a different way.

6 hours ago - Streetsblog San Francisco

Missouri state Rep. Chris Brown speaking in government chamber.

Missouri Governor Reverses Anti-Discrimination Housing Policies

A new state law bars cities from prohibiting source-of-income discrimination against tenants using Section 8 housing vouchers.

7 hours ago - Missouri Independent

Pedestrians crossing a rainbow painted crosswalk in New York City.

USDOT Launches Unfunded 'SAFE ROADS' Program

The program targets “distractions” and “political messages or artwork,” and paves the way for autonomous vehicles.

7 hours ago - Urban Milwaukee