Ephemeral City: Cite Looks at Houston is a 2003 nonfiction book edited by Barrie Scardino, William F. Stern and Bruce C. Webb and published by the University of Texas Press.
[5] Judith K. De Jong of the University of Illinois at Chicago concluded that the book "is an outstanding collection of essays, intelligently chosen and organized, well written and accessible, and compelling in its search for meaning in the "ephemeral" American city that Houston epitomizes so well.
"[10] She believed that the first section of the book was the best, arguing that its contents "establish a cohesive, comprehensible historical and cultural framework with which to understand the ever- changing physical character of this fascinating, yet often inscrutable, city.
He stated that Part I had unbalanced coverage that at times favored a pro-private interests market point of view, and that many essays did not have sufficient "social and critical analysis" and too much description.
[11] David L. Prytherch of the University of Miami wrote that it "makes the contribution of looking carefully and without undue prejudice at sprawling metropolis that increasingly defines urban life.
[6] Wright stated that the introductions were "[c]ogent and well-written", and that "the book and its producers should be celebrated" as they "never fail to foreground the impossibility" of attempting to "initiate a definitive approach to Houston design".