The demands made on soil in towns and cities are various and in several respects more acute than those made by agriculture and nature. Some urban soil must support buildings and bear roads; some must dispose of surplus water, both from surface run-off and waste; some will inevitably be required to degrade or retain spilled toxic contaminants; some will be desired to grow flowers, fruit and vegetables and some will be wanted for parks and sports grounds. This book mentions all of these. After a short general description of soil as a material mantling the earth, it looks at the particular demands individually and at the soil conditions that enable the soil to cope with them. It warns of the consequences when the soil is unfit for purpose: flooding, erosion, corrosion and pollution, among them. It guides the reader to anticipate failure, and it suggests ways in which the soil can be managed or modified to cope by reclamation, drainage, earth work and tree planting. It cites numerous examples, mainly from Australia, of what can happen for good or ill when land is urbanized and what has been done there. The book contains a lot of fact but not much understanding. It rarely penetrates beyond qualitative and general guidance. The fundamental mechanisms within the soil are not explained, and the practitioner could not work out from first principles what to do. The style is somewhat academic, with many references to the literature. The level seems to be that of a first undergraduate introductory course in environmental science.