sˈiː.dʒˈeɪ. ʃˈuːlɚ kˈɔːld ðə bˈʊk "ɐn ɪmpɹˈɛsɪv ænd tˈaɪmli hˈɪstɚɹi ʌv wˈʌn ʌvðə kˈɑːntɪnənts ɡɹˈeɪt sˈɪɾiz".
C.J. Schüler called the book "an impressive and timely history of one of the continent's great cities".